Angel's Blood
by Rioxane12
Summary: AU. Namine has been living normally in the same town her whole life until one day she gets wrapped up with Roxas-the handsome, collected "prince" of her school. Who's so mysterious she can't help being near him.
1. An Encounter

She was finishing up her drawing of "Dance". It showed a man in a dragon attire dancing with a woman in a phoenix robe for a ceremony. She scribbled "July 26" in the back for the completion date. Then she frowned at the beginning date. April 8. She knew she had put it aside, but didn't know it was for four months. She got sucked into other sketches and completely forgot about this one. As she mentally scolded herself, a boy came behind her, then...

"Namine," he whispered. A chill ran down her back.

"BWAAAAAAAAAAAA!" He yelled out near her ear. Namine shrieked, dropping her sketch pad.

"Sora! You were gonna ruin my drawing!" Namine protested as she slapped his arm playfully.

"But you weren't drawing, you were mumbling to yourself," Sora whined. He then gave a sapphire-eyed puppy look to say sorry. Namine just smiled and nodded.

"Sora, you know Namine. If she's immersed in her work, you shouldn't interrupt her. Especially when she's talking to herself like a loop," Riku joined with a smirk.

"Hey! That is so mean Riku!" Namine playfully glared as she picked up her sketch pad.

"Riku, don't insult Namine, she's my best friend, or Sora, he's my boyfriend!" Kairi shouted as she walked over to the three.

They were all under a cherry blossom tree, their hangout spot a guardian overlooking the fences. It's the first day of their last year, and the bell was going to ring in 20 mins. Together, they looked nostalgically at their school, Promise High. It was college next and they would have to leave their friendly, busy Twilight Town.

"Hey girl, watcha drawing now?" Kairi asked as she sat down in the grass.

"You and Sora. Do you mind me using you two? " Namine answered absentmindedly.

"Woah! Really?" Sora suddenly bursted out and grabbed the sketch book.

"It's really good, we don't mind at all." Sora's gaping in the results.

"Actually, thanks for using us," Kairi assured as she peered at the drawing over Sora's shoulder. She looked pleased about the depiction.

"Cool, I look like a prince, awesome!" Sora said. He was self-absorbed.

"Must've been hard. She has to get inspiration somewhere else because you're not much of a prince, dude. But me on the other hand..." Riku struck a pose and flexed a muscle.

"Well, Riku, the inspiration..." Namine trailed off as she saw a group come through the gates.

Maybe not a group, but something else. A host of aristocrats. Or a family of royals. They were so poised, elegant, regal. There was five of them.

In the back was three. The only girl, or young woman, was Larxene. Mixed jade-green eyes, goddess form, she carried herself witha striking yet fenced confidence. At first, you would think ice-queen, but when she gives you a look, it's lightning queen. You can't argue with her static stare. Her hair was bright yellow blonde, having her bangs out of her face and arching butterfly-like backwards.

In the middle of the back was Zexion. His hair was a silvery-nightsky blue color. His eyes were steel, the right covered by a cascade of his bangs. He was intelligent enough to skip highschool all together but had decided to stay in his grade. He looked a bit irritated as the 12th grade girls had stopped him to ask to see his other eye. He shook his head but the girls walked away giggling. Then they continued going to the school entrance. He seemed to be talking to both Larxene and Demyx.

Demyx looked like he was the most easy going. He had an easy, flowing smile as he chatted happily. He had a tall messy mullet, and as messy as it is, it looked perfectly natural. A singer that could have been a "joking-bubbly-cute guy" type, he was plenty serious. He had intimidating skills to play any instruments and was the school's musically gifted. At the moment, he had a sitar slung over his shoulder slightly crumpling his uniform.

The front two was more quiet. One was a head taller than the other and had a mane of flaming red hair spiking down towards his back. Axel was known for always choosing volatile experiments in lab repping him as 'Pyro', his friends calling him 'Pyro_maniac_'. Mystifying black marks hang under his emerald stare.

The last and leader-like member was the "Prince", Roxas. He had naturally side-swept golden hair and glowing cerulean eyes. He seems so harsh, distant, and enigmatic. He was great at the weapons practice class. He evenly matched Sora. Before he enrolled, Sora was the champion at the tournaments beating all, even older competitors. Both seemed to love the Blades segment the most.

They seemed approachable enough but they mostly stayed together. The first four had been in Twilight Town from kindergarden days but Roxas had just arrived shortly.

As they walked by the tree, Sora waved out, saying "Hey, good match during summer finals, Roxas!"

Roxas nods and walked over.

"Yes, it was a good challenge, but still a draw." Roxas replied. He looked down at Namine with her sketch book. "That's quality work there, Namine." he complimented, offering a dignified smile. Some girls walking by shrieked, pointing and blushing. Namine blushed herself. She didn't encounter Roxas often, yet she felt like she knew him before. This only made her more shy.

"Thank you." she said.

"Roxas, we have to go! " Axel yelled out and called him over.  
"I have to leave. I'll see all of you later." Roxas said, then walked away.

"Girl, Prince just talked to you! Maybe he likes you!" Kairi smirked. Riku looked amused at the scenario.

"D-don't be ridiculous Kai. I'm the last girl he would like." Namine covered her face with paper. Kairi saw her blush some more.

Namine sighed as she watched her Prince, her inspiration, walk inside until she got up herself when the bell rang.


	2. A Few Moments

Roxas exhaled out slowly, letting his frustrations go as easily as it had came. His own mind was torturing him. He hated feeling weak, and so, hardly did. He was in control again.

"C'mon Roxas, stop daydreaming, sleep walking, or whatever your doing that makes you a block of dull." the Pyro said as he waved a hand in front of the Prince.

_TWOK_! It echoed like thunder clapping after Zexion threw an open jar of mayonaise at Axel. It was right side up when it impacted, but fell upside-down when Axel was going to catch it.

"Blehh! Gross! I _hate _mayonnaise!" the Pyro exclaimed.

Some girls giggled as they passed by. Axel put on a cocky smirk, Larxene had death in her eyes.

Demyx reached out and smeared it all over Axel's face.

Roxas did a small laugh, Larxene pokes her tongue out clearly saying _You deserved that_.

"Demyx! What the hell man!" Axel growled.

"I believe that is abuse of condiments privileges. " Larxene commented to Zexion.

Demyx had chosen the moment to steal Zexion's burger to take a bite. He then looked droopy and mumble " I'm tired " then fell face first to the table and on the burger. Ketchup squished out to Axel's front while everyone else had dodged.

"OK MAN! YOU'RE DEAD FOR THIS!" Axel yelled out angrily not bothering with his face. He started strangling Demyx.

"Mommy, I love cows. Can I pwetty pwease git a moo?" Demyx sleepily said while still being strangled. Now even Zexion was laughing with Larxene and Roxas. "I don't believe it! He's so sleepy that he doesn't know he's being strangled!" Zexion sputters. "That's the last time we let him stay up playing video games!"

Axel realized this was true and gave up. He wiped his face with but left smears and traces on his eyebrows. He now looked like he had a creamy mustache, eyebrows, beard, sideburns that would have made Xaldin proud, and even creamy eyelashes.

Everyone in the vicinity laughed about either his face or bewildered expression, especially Larxene and Roxas seeing full detail.

Axel looked like a dying ember as he sighed and put some water on a wad of paper towels and scrubbed. He dug into Larxene's bag and stole a mirror with an "Axel!" from Larxene. Satisfied, he too, started chuckling at the incident. These were the times the Regals seemed more normal.

"Hey, just forget about her, okay? Shake it off man. You haven't seen her in a few years, so forget it Roxas! " Axel said concerned as Roxas stopped laughing to a gentle, sad smile.

"Yeah. . ." was all Roxas said as he looked across the field.

Namine shivered as she felt like being looked through. She looked around the caf, searching for an observer. Seeing no one, she shrugged it off.

"Hey Angel! " Olette waved as she and Hayner came to sit next to Namine.

It was such an idyllic day out that the population of Promise High were eating out in the picnic tables and enjoying sun. The summer vacation feeling is still clinging and the leaves are bright.

Riku and Sora are flicking fries at each other, Selphie and Yuna are chatting about some reality show called Destiny Island Fever, and the others in the table are watching.

"Olette, don't call me that. I am so far from being an angel." Namine rolled her eyes.

"Sure you are. Perfect face, sweet and nice, your art is described as 'the work of an angel." Olette said simply."Uh-huh. I agree Lettie." Paine supplied as she and Rikku joined their picnic table.

"An angel that should have a prince! Whaddya-know, an eligible prince, staring at you!" Rikku added happily, forking some pasta.

Kairi now poked in after the interesting turn, " Yeah, he is. Look!" she pointed across the cafeteria. True to her word, Roxas was staring at Namine. She gazed to his direction, and immediately locked eyes with him. A chill trembled her hands against her will as if her body sensed a warning. His eyes only spoke of calm. He was a sanctuary and a thorny pitcell at the same time. Something was now nagging at her memory, biting in her concience.

"You know me. I know you." A voice whispered to her faintly.

"Huh?" she gasped out loud, still locked in his eyes.

Namine had never seen Roxas until when he moved in to Twilight Town in the last two weeks of school last year. Despite being new, he excelled everything except the weaponry he matched with Sora. He graduated with their year, and instantly won the popularity from the girls for his looks and with the guys for his skills. But she hardly made contact with him before.

Roxas smiled softly then started talking to Zexion. Namine looked away then shook her head quickly trying to clear her thoughts. But he biting stayed. There! Biting. A memeory struggling to be known to it's owner but is too weak. "No...I don't know him. He's just someone I see from afar. What's going on? " Namine wondered.

"Hmm. I warned you, Roxas, that you shouldn't be near her that often. She is starting to remember, and is a little confused. What is it she remembers?" Zexion mussed reading a bit of Namine's thoughts.

"Dude, that can't happen. She's happy as she is," Axel muttered to Roxas. Demyx, awake and clean, nods in agreement gravely.

"More importantly, she might slip if she remembers," Larxene inclines.

"Don't worry. I will keep my distance when needed," Roxas murmurs drinking water.

"Nami, you okay? You seem a bit sick," Kairi asked worriedly. Namine looked up, a wan expression on.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Let's get to that spanish homework of yours." Namine said.

"Ok! Well, um, do any of you guys know what huevos is? Pence keeps laughing when I guessed eggs. Is there a slang for it?" she asked the whole table innocently.

Everyone at their table stared at her, knowing. Then all cracked at the info. Rikku recovered enough to answer in whisper. Kairi's eyes bulged open, the table got louder as she glows pink embarassed. Namine loved the nice moment and kept laughing.


	3. Shockings

Hi, hope you've been enjoying it so far. Pixie Riordan, I was laughing so hard at your comment. LOL. Anyways, your sneak peeks have been posted now. Things are starting to unfold. So sorry that I type confusingly. There's a lot I add but too lazy to put in order.

Promise High had eight classes each day. Homeroom in the first then last. Normal classes in between. 2 classes in morning, 15 minute break, 2 more, then lunch, then last two classes. Out of the six, students had the standard math, science, english, and history. Namine chose her favorite two subjects for her extra classes. Everyone knows it's art. The other is chorus.

See, this is where the finishing touches of Namine's nickname kicks in. Hymns and solos were her specialties. At the moment, Mrs. Harris called on Namine to do her performance. She inhaled deeply, calming down. One of her weak points was that psyched herself out too easily. No one's perfect.

It was only the second week of school and already the class had to sing a piece. But she was prepared. She sang an old favorite, Utada Hikaru's _Exodus_. Her voice was pure with natural lilt, and even the birds outside stilled to listen.

When she finished, the class erupted in applause, the new students amazed at her talent.

Kairi was in all her classes, Riku and Sora at their main subjects, and the others shared a class or two but mostly had different teachers. The other reason that Namine was nervous is because Roxas was sitting in the back seat.

At her finish, Roxas smiled appreciatively, making some girls green.

Namine crosses her arms nervously, Kairi clapping the loudest in support and delight of her situation. Namine sat back down, ducking her head in all the attention. Kairi squeazed her hand and giggled, Selphie smirked.

"Excellent, Namine. You've obviously practiced, A+. Class, you should give in as much effort. You know who you are. Rai," Mrs. Harris said walking with her grade book.

"Mrs. Q, my voice is good, I just can't remember the... the... the words, ya know?" Rai said.

"LYRICS!" the class yelled at him. Even Fuu was exasperated. Chortles came out after in Rai's cluelessness.

"Last to go, Roxas Oblivion," Mrs. Harris called out. _(I really suck at giving names, so their last names will be after their keyblades or roles so that it's meaningful)_

"I'm sorry, I haven't had much time to prepare. I had matters to attend to." Roxas said to Mrs. Harris, looking only slightly troubled at being empty-handed.

She purses her lips then seemed to have changed her mind. "That's alright, it's just the first test so I'll let it go. Just sing this piece, and do your best." Mrs. Harris says dismissively, handing a paper to him. Roxas took it and his voice made the simple song cause female eyes to mist at him. _The Second That You Say_ by Chase Coy was too romantic.

Yanking everyone out of the moment, the bell rang. The class abruptly stood up, but Mrs. Harris stopped them by holding up a hand. "Hold on class. Roxas deserves an applause." she said. The class clapped but were titchy. "Ok, go." she said sighing.

The class bolted out, herding Kairi, Namine, and Selphie out. Kairi and Selphie are pushed ahead, as Namine got dragged behind. The rest of the school joined the hallways and a panicky freshman shoves her backwards as he ran. Her bag fell away, she could see a foot about to crush her arm, another step on her face. Namine shut her eyes for the paining impact. "Help me!" she thought.

"Watch were you sleep." a voice chuckled. She felt the ground dissapear from under her elbows, an arm around the back oh her waist while another grabbed her shoulder.

She was brought kneeling up, her face near Roxas. A pair of glowing ocean eyes looking was an inch above and away from her. " Are you okay?" he asked, his breath tingling her skin.

Now everything flashed white, blinding her as her mind flickered to an incomprehensible voice saying " Are you alright?" Her eyes widened then she snapped back to reality. She fell foward, fortunately supported by Roxas. "Do you need to go to the nurse?" Roxas asked concerned. She was breathing hard, her head pounding.

"Namine! What happened?" Kairi was running back to her. Namine's breathing evened out after taking a deep breath then stood up. "Don't worry, I'm ok." she said.

The two stopped when they recognized her savior. " Thanks for saving her, Prince. It's just that we got seperated from Angel in the rush. Um... Bye!" Kairi said as she and Selphie dragged Namine to homeroom.

"Oh my gosh, Roxas was touching you!" Selphie whispered excitedly. She then noticed Roxas was behind them. "Oops! I keep forgetting he's in our homeroom." Kairi said.

The four got seated just in time before Mr. Lance came in.

"Yeep! Xaldin, I mean, Mr. Lance would have caught us! Good thing we're fast!" Selphie whispered to Kairi and Namine. Seifer hadn't seen them come in but grinned menacingly at hearing the news.

"Mr. L! Kairi, Namine, Selphie, and Roxas are late!" Seifer yelled out.

Selphie hissed and Kairi glared with a "You rat!".

Roxas cuts in, "Sir, Namine had tripped and sprained an ankle temporarily. We were assisting her to get here." he said.

Mr. Lance raises an eyebrow and walked to the nurse excuse papers and signs one. "No! I'm not injured! Honest!" before Mr. Lance could open his mouth. "Really..." she begged. "Fine, you're excused," he said dismissingly.

Namine sighs in relief while Kairi and Selphie high-fived each other. Seifer gapes dumb struck.

"Look who's a princess now, Nami! Roxas is trying to woo you." Kairi whispered to Namine. "Yup!" Selphie added.

"He's not!" she replied to Kairi.

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Then why is he all over you?" "He's not!"

"He doesn't really talk to other girls except you!"

"What about Larxene?"

"She's with Axel!"

"You guys are jumping to conclusions!" Namine hissed.

"Girls, stop your chat back there or I'll give you both detention! Now class. Do your weekly journal. It's the price of Friday." Mr. Lance rebukes. The class took out their notebooks and wrote their to-be-daily 'what I learned this week'. For educational promotions. Namine finished with a "and I did a chorus test, my first one of my senior year".

The bell rang for release of school for the week. Namine stood up to leave Kairi and Selphie. "They did make me go through a lot today." she thought.

She felt a tap on her shoulder after a few steps from the room.

"Namine? We haven't decided on what to do for art," Roxas said after she turned around.

"Oh, yeah. 5th period art. Well, why don't we make portraits?" she asked.

"Sounds like a good idea. Each other maybe?" Namine blinks at the thought of the intimacy.

"Well, if we choose that, how do we do it before Monday's due date?"

"Perhaps I can pick you up and go to my place. Where do you live?"

"Sure. Here's my address," Namine scribbled her address at a paper from her sketch book. " Tomorrow then?" she asked as she hands it to him.

"It's a date, Ms. Sinclair." Roxas smiles his small smile then walks away to Axel.

Namine stands still in shock until Kairi tackles her from behind. "Yay! Nami's got a date with the prince!" Selphie pokes Namine and laughs.

"It's not a date, just a project. Leave me alone Kairi! Selphie!" Namine giggled.

She runs away with her sketchbook in hand, the time of his arrival hidden in one of the pages. She couldn't help laughing giddily as the three burst through the school gates racing to the train.


	4. Pendant

Yay for people that review! I'm personally thanking Scythereal Angel, kidd12, XxHeiXFengxX, Pixie Riordan, Lebrezie91210, and White Simplicity. I virtually hug you now!

_I watch you fast asleep. All I fear means nothing._

Namine woke up completely now. She was half asleep for an hour, lying in her bed, just thinking randomly and dully. She was waiting for her alarm clock to go off and play Sanctuary.

Thud-thud. Her heartbeat sped up and her vision blurred. White all over again like yesterday, only her hearing working. "I'll watch you, while you sleep. All your fears, will be nothing. With me." the same voice mysteriously said to her.

It was a mumble that had comforted her in a black night when she was... How old was she when she heard this? Namine thought harder.

Six. There. Her vision cleared and she relaxed. Her ceiling's a sandy yellow, 20 feet high with glowing stars hanging in lines all over. The main dome light was designed to glow from a faint sparkle to an illuminating bright.

This was her personal sun and moon in her room, to be there when the entities vanished from the outside sky.

"This can be your light so that you're not scared anymore, Namine." a fatherly voice had said. But it wasn't her dad. This voice was more in-charge-leader like. "Yeah, you big baby. You just have to have five hundred and twenty-six bulbs in your room!" an obnoxious voice said.

She closed her eyes and tried to picture the emerging memory. It was dark, she was in the same bed and an adult man with blond hair had kissed her forehead goodnight. A teenager was there too. But it was too dark to see even with the newly-installed lights.

Namine bit her lip in concentration. Red. No, flames. A pile of flames. And that's all. She sighed at the failure.

"What are these memories?" she thought. "Are they fake? Dad has brown hair and I don't know an older brother or cousin. I'm an only child and so is Mom and Dad."

_When you walk away, You don't hear me say..."_ Namine flipped open her phone. Her ringtone was _Simple and Clean Full Remixed_. Kairi was on the other line.

"Hi ya! So when is your date? Is it now? Please tell me about it!" Kairi chirped.

"Kai, it's 7:30, I just woke up, I'm not on the date, it's not even a date." Namine dredged out.

"Ok! I don't want to keep ya then! Bye!" Kairi hung up.

Her room was a clean pink-tinted white. A ceiling to wall shelf was devoted to art supplies and books full of her sketches. Another was full of books, some about songs while a marble table held her piano and computer. Music sheets were in a huge binder on top, a stereo set behind.

Her window was gigantic, with white-laced curtains. A giant window sill for her to sit on had cushions and stuff. Besides it was a door leading to her balcony. It had lounge chairs and a round glass table. Her room had crystal vases of flowers alternately placed inside and outside for the sun. Another corner held her bed with a vanity mirror set nearby and wardrobe. Her door out was besides the closet.

Namine went to the bookcase. Kairi, as bubbly as she is, was a dedicated writer. A row occupied notebooks and printouts she had given away. "Don't let your heart be heavy after a broken day. Look at what you do and reach for the relief at bay. Cheer up, girl!" Kairi wrote in her freshman yearbook. During that year Namine and Sora were going out. Kairi moved away because her parents are in the Royal Knights. Sora became her new best friend and eventually agreed to try dating. After a month, they've never even kissed because it was too akward.

Second semester came and so did Kairi. Namine and Sora decide to be just friends. It really wasn't dating, they just spent more time together consoling each other on Kairi moving away.

He realized that it was Kairi he loved, and they were together before summer began. Namine still loved Sora, but as a friend and supported the couple. She told Kairi she didn't need the couplet poem at all because she wasn't sad. Kairi understood, and hugged her best friend that day. They had folded the page into a swan and stuck it in.

Riku was scolded after by the girls and Sora for trying to play matchmaker. It didn't help that he was the one prodding the unwanted kisses. Fortunately, the two refused, their lips never touched. Next to the swan were pictures.

A picture of Riku making kissy faces at Sora and Kairi when the two were having a moment made the first page of the yearbook. Pence was in the committee and had taken it. Next to it were tons of snapshots and printouts of them at the train, eating ice creams, movies, carnivals, group dates, 6th and 8th grade graduation, beach and more.

"These are the moments I clearly remember," Namine said to herself.

''No pictures of me being six or younger, only a handful of baby ones without Mom or Dad. It's hard to recall them, coming back only now. There should be more proof." she muttered to herself.

She set to work, going through all scrapbooks, journals, yearbooks, and momentos that could have come from her six-to-under childhood. The youngest stuff besides the baby pics were from nine. A 3 year gap. And it was weird that she noticed only now. She wasn't that oblivious. Her floor was now strewn with objects.

Finally, she got to a music box pushed all the way in the back, at a carved hole. "A secret hiding spot?" she asked. She examined it. A small, 2 fists sized box topped with ivory, gilded with silver at the edges but gold leaf and blossoms patterns surrounding an S at the top. At the front side was keyhole lock painted with gold.

Namine saw this and went to her dresser. She rummaged for a hair pin or a needle. She found a bobby pin and stuck it into the hole, jiggling it. She tried lifting the lid but it was shut together.

"This isn't a normal box or diary lock. It needs an actual key..." Now she racked her brain for any keys that she owned that never had locks to match with. "If it's in my room, I should have the key right? I think the box belongs to me too... " She told herself. "Leaf and gold. Maybe an S? On the key."

Wait. At a two day testing before she and Sora were together, she was fingering a pendant. At the second day, she didn't and couldn't play with it when she was nervous. A key pendant. That was it!

She and Sora got together after the test in a study session and she gave it to him. A sign of trust because she had it forever. After, he and Kairi started dating, they were too lazy and compromised to keep whatever they had as special frienship stuff. Sora's blue Pooh Bear plush was still at her windowsill, smiling and holding out a flower. He won it at a carnival, it was the first doll to be there.

After that, the sill became her friends window. Riku's yellow Paopu fruit plush was there along with Kairi's Pink Tiger Sweet dolll. Other things from Selphie, Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, Rikku, Paine, Olette, Hayner, and Pence was there matching their favorite colors.

And Sora still has her key. She didn't realize it because she had three years to get used to it being gone.

It's 11:19 now. She's been searching for hours. She was so engrossed! She hadn't even eaten breakfast yet.

"Sora should be awake by now, even in a Saturday." She grabs a jacket and some blue jeans and steps out the door.

_Ding Dong! Ding! Ding! Ding! Dong!_ the doorbell sounded impatient.

Sora rubs the back of his spiky-haired head and scratches his stomach.

"_I'm glad for Saturdays since Mom and Dad leave early and I get to sleep in. So this person better be important. I'll slam the door if it's another salesman_." he thinks to himself.

It was. Well, important, not salesman. He had opened the door to Namine. "Hey Nami. What's up?" he mumbled out and gave a yawn. She had 2 pieces of toast in a hand and was drinking what looked like a banana-strawberry smoothie.

"Sora, I know it's sudden but this is urg-are those pig p.j.s?" she asked inspecting the flying pigs-patterned pajama set. She holds her hand in front of her mouth, a sign of her about to laugh.

"Don't you dare!" Sora growled.

"I'm trying (inhales) not to (inhales more) uugh-AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" she laughs out doubling over. Sora banged his head repeatively in the doorframe until she stopped, which was three minutes later. She had dropped the toast and drink. There was enough passerbys to see the scene.

Now with a red forehead, he turned to face Namine again. She was red-faced, but looked better. "Ok, what do you need? Ow," Sora said rubbing his forehead worse, a glowing cherry red.

"Your forehead looks like it's blushing when Kairi compliments you," she points out.

"Does not!" although he does start blushing at the mention of Kairi's name.

"Don't be embarrassed, it just means you love her."

Sora looked thoughtful. "You know what? You're right. I'm just getting used to saying it. But that's how I feel. I love her so much, I can't deny it."

"I'm glad she has someone like you, Sora. I want my best bud happy," Namine said. She then felt a twinge. She had recently been wanting affection like that, but not from Sora. From someone else, really.

"Anyway, do you still have my key-pendant? I need it." Namine continued.

"Sure. But does that mean you're mad at me and don't want to be friends? What did I do?'' He looked more funny pouting in pink p.j.s . He picked up the bottle and tossed it to the recycling bin near the door.

"No, Sora. I just need it. It's a key, so there's a good chance that it unlocks something, kay?'' she said with a mocking eyeroll.

Sora signaled her to come in and she followed. "For your diary, huh?" he asked turning around to give a grin. Namine punched his arm and he gave an "Ow!" before going upstairs to his room. She waited in the hall.

Whenever she comes to his house, she feels like she's cold. Sora's house was warm and colorful with Sora's ribbons and trophies. She liked the wacky family pictures the most. Her parents weren't workaholics and they did things together, but just not as often. The pictures were bought paintings, and she had no pets. Sora's parents were tv-like, his mom always baking.

As if Sora had heard her thoughts, he yelled from upstairs "Go help yourself to some chocolate chip cookies Nami!'' Indeed, there was a jar full of baked goods. She took two and ate quickly. They were perfect.

Sora came back with a tiny satin bag. "Easy there. It looks like you still haven't had breakfast. Have it with me, will ya?" he said taking out silverware and a pancake mix. He makes the batter and pours it to a skillet. The hiss of it cooking gave a good smell.

"Sit down, here's some milk,'' he offered. Namine took the offers as Sora shakes out the key and hand it to her. "Thanks. You took good care of it, huh?" She fingered the elaborate goldkey, tracing the cursive S.

Sora set down a plate of pancakes in front of her. He sat down and started to guzzle his stack with maple sauce.

"You seem a bit mad at the sauce. Give it a chance to live in a bottle with its saucy friends." Namine said forking pancake into her mouth. Sora took the bottle and made it dance.

"Look! We're little sauce people and belong in a bottle. Eeheeehee! We're sticky and delicious and aren't alive and belong to Sora's stomach! Here we go!" he said in a high pitched voice before squeezing the bottle's contents to his mouth without pancake and flourished with a belch.

"Eeww Sora! That sauce can't be good for you," Namine said with an eye closed. She was eating the last piece now.

"Hey, at least good young Saucy goes swimming in the ocean after the toilet,'' he said satisfied. He was eating another pancake.

"Flat out ew. So changing subjects, why are you wearing pink pig p.j.s?" Namine replied, sipping milk.

"Don't tease me. Mom was doing laundry and forgot to put my clothes in the dryer last night. I wasn't going to sleep nude so she gave these. They used to be Tifa's. She gave me hell laughing all night." he said darkly. Tifa was his older sister that was a senior in college.

"I remember that it looked good on her. You, you're a different story."

"Shpeeken ob redumbering, do but a mate wut cokshas?" Sora said with a mouthful of pancakes.

"Huh?''

"Dun kayin (gulp) I'm saying that speaking of remembering, you got a date with Roxas?"

"It's not a date"

"Kairi said it is."

"It isn't."

"But I trust her and she said it is."

"It isn't a date, it's just a study se- Oh my god, what time is it?" Namine asked frantically. She was already putting the plates in the sink and zipping her jacket.

"12, why?''

"I gotta go, I need to walk home, get my stuff," Namine said going to the door, latching the necklace on.

"Oh, your date."

"Not a date! Study session! Thanks for the breakfast. Bye Sora! And shame on you for sleeping so late!" Namine said slipping onto her shoes and running down the porch.

"Ok Nami, see you later. Don't trip on the-"

"Ahh!" Namine shrieked. Her face was on the ground, an innocent garden gnome lying by her ankles.

"Gnome. My turn! Ahahahahahahaaaaaa!" was the last thing Namine heard as she ran to the train stop.

Sora looked after her smiling until she dissapeared in the street turn. "Some things never change." And he shut the door.

"Vexen, there's no risk at all, I promise. We're just doing homework, like normal kids." Roxas said backing away.

"You insolent fool! You're not in charge yet and you're already being troublesome! " Vexen roared. "What will the Master say about this?"

Roxas stood his ground but now was the the one doing the offense. "Nothing. It's already done. I'm bringing her here, and I'll keep her safe. For being the Chilly Academic, you're too heated up. Cool down Vexen." He took his sunglasses and strides out. Vexen throws a vase at a wall.

Namine adjusted her short pigtails, shaking out the water. She was running the moment she had stepped out the train and immediately turned on the shower for water. She didn't even want to remember her spaz moments waiting for the train that attracted attention. While waiting, she had stuffed her art items in her backpack.

She then took a quick shower, scrubbing hard on her scalp with shampoo, the soap relaxing her very little but she was still hurrying picking her clothes.

"Why did I have to fall asleep before choosing my outfit last night? " she hollered. " Honey, what is it? Do you need help?" her mom asked poking in. She looked like an adult version of Namine. "I'm fine Mom! Please just tell me when a guy named Roxas comes.'' Namine said. Her mom nods and closes the door.

She flung an easter dress and a winter coat to her bed. Her hands finally landed to a simple black tank-top and denim capris. She ties a thin white jacket around her waist and put on baby blue bangles and hairbands. She wanted to look right.

Pausing at the mirror, she readjusts her pigtails and fixes her bag. The clock ticked 1:00 on the living room digital. At the exact moment, a sleek, shiny, black limo pulled in. Someone in dark denim jeans, a white sweater wearing a pair of dark sunglasses stepped out. He had sideswept gold hair and was now ringing the doorbell.

Oh! It was Roxas on her doorstep. Namine opened the door, letting him in. He looks to good to be true. '_Is he really here? Is it possible_?' she can't help think.

"As promised. One p.m. sharp. Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes," Namine says as she grabs her bag."Bye Mom! I have my cell so you can call!"

"Bye hon! Have fun!" her mom predictably said.

"You sure are serious on your word. How'd you manage one sharp?" she asked Roxas.

Roxas chuckled then said "Oh, we just waited around the corner until time to pull in." Namine raised an eyebrow.

"I know, I'm such a dork in keeping promises." he said with hands raised.

They got out, Namine locking the door behind her. The limo was so fancy inside, the velvet seats being the least expensive. "Namine, this is my caretaker and chaffeur today, Xigbar." Roxas said.

"Hi there Namine! Remember me, Uncle Xiggy?" the man in the driver's seat said. He turned around to Namine, scaring her a bit. His right eye had an eyepatch, the left side of his face having a ragged scar from jaw to cheek.

"Nuh-nuh-no..." she stuttered. "Oh well. Have you been a good girl? Unlike this bad prince here. Nyahahahaha!" he laughed.

Roxas smiles to comfort her and signaled Xigbar to start driving.


	5. Medicine

Namine shifts uncomfortably in her seat. The white velvet was so soft but it didn't really soothe her agitation.

Xigbar was nice, yes, but would it be harsh to say lunatic? He made many jokes about the cuteness of toddlers and babies then look at her with a grin. The most crazy was when he asked just a minute ago. "So Angel, how are you doing with your human friends? Parents? You don't miss our world, do you?"

Namine just replied confused. "F-f-fine. But please don't call me Angel."

Xigbar laughed out loud, shaking his head. Good thing they were on red stoplight. "Namine, You've been our angel since you've been a baby. Nice teeth too."

"Xigbar, we'll need some privacy. " Roxas said. He pressed a button on the complicated dashboard and black glass went up between Xigbar and the two.

Roxas made a smile. "Sorry, Namine. My caretaker is on some medicine. He likes to be called Uncle Xiggy. It might help if you do. Perhaps I should have chosen another person to look after me."

"I'm alright. He seems friendly and I'm okay with playing along." she said. Then she felt the air shift intensely.

Roxas looked at her with the same smile but with sad eyes. "Do you remember just a little bit?" he asked softly.

They stared at each other for a while until he looks away.

"Never mind. Forget what I said." His voice was morose, he was just looking at his window. Namine felt guilty but didn't know why. They were quiet for the rest of the ride.

_Bzzt bzzt. _"Hey cousin. Yeah, she's helping. But she keeps getting denial. What else can I do for the plan?" Pause. "No, I'm helping." _Ctp. _The flip phone is shut, the line dead.

Roxas had just hung up the limo phone. To Namine, he seemed to have been talking to Xigbar or an adult. They were now on a forest and Roxas had the black glass rolled down. The car stopped in front of some gates. "Is that you Xigbar?" a male voice said. She heard Xigbar saying "Yeah. Open the gates." The gates swung open quietly.

The limo rolled past a lustrous and colorful garden to a big driveway in front of a mansion. It was huge. The driveway had ancient looking pillars with ivy wrapping around. The colors were brown, tan, and cream.

They stepped out and went inside. "Namine, welcome to my home." Roxas murmurs behind her. They seemed to be in a front hall. There was a grand staircase, paintings in the hall, multiple doors upstairs, and big glass slide doors behind the stairs. The floor was an earthy brown tile. **  
**

"Would you like a tour?" Roxas asks, his eyes glowing softly. Namine nodsand he grabs her wrist, leading her to the glass doors. "Xigbar, you can go. And please take her coat and bag." Roxas commands over his shoulder and tossing Namine's bag.

He slides it open to a monolithic room seperated into sections. "We tore down the walls so that the air gets around more and we feel better that way." he explains. One section was a kitchen, another looked like a living room with a big screen tv. One looked like a computer room that had nine computers, a game section with tables for poker, foozball, air hockey, and billiards. A set of DDR was installed with 6 pads.

He opens another set of doors opposite the first ones and they were outside. There's a stretching field of grass with a basketball court 50 ft. away. By the door was a walk-in storage shed. "Here we keep the sports stuff. We can set them up and during the winter, we can go snow boarding in the hills." Namine can see small mountains in the distance.

"There's a drive around to the garage, and that's where the pool is too. We have thirteen different types of cars plus the limo."

Roxas was now pointing to another building, painted green. There are four stories. "Pool's in the first floor, the cars above. Inside the house upstairs are the eighteen bedrooms and the library. First level, not in the main room, is a dining room. At the basements are Vexen's lab, a gym, and Xigbar's target practice though he practices out here too. And Demyx's recording studio and Larxene's spa."

He looked down at her and unexpectedly grins. "What do you think?"

"I think it's incredible. You have a lovely home. Um, did you say Larxene and Demyx?" Namine said.

"I haven't told you yet, but Larxene, Demyx, Zexion, and Axel lives here with me. So does Mr. Lance. There's thirteen of us, used to be seventeen. Our ancestors are distantly related so that the thirteen of us are hardly connected by blood." Roxas explains.

"Wow." was all Namine could think of. "Are they...?"

"Yeah, the five of us are orphans and the other eight are our guardians. So Xigbar is kinda my uncle. Larxene complains that she's the only girl now, but all of us manage to get through and are happy." Roxas shares as he stares at her.

"A big family. That's nice to know." Namine said smiling. Roxas grinned again. "Let's go inside and and get some lunch!"

They were inside now, eating some pasta and salad Roxas quickly made. The kitchen had six chairs and a small table so that's the reason for the dining hall. "This is delicious," Namine compliments. "You do cooking?"

Roxas was now rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. " I do have my turns to do dinner and meals. Would you laugh if I say that I have to do my own laundry? We don't have maids."

Namine giggled. "Hey, no laughing." Roxas said grinnig.

"No, I'm not laughing. My older brother Cloud was such a slob before he went to college. He's so terrible at cooking that he couldn't make ice!" she said.

Roxas now looked thoughtful. Quietly, he asked " Do you feel okay here? Comfortable?"

Namine nodded. "I feel like I'm home."

He leans back, closes his eyes, and smiles. "Good. I was worried you wouldn't."

"Well, I am. And you call this a house?" Namine teases. She flicks a carrot at him then immediately covers her mouth in surprise. _Did I just really flick a carrot at him. Oh god. _

"You just asked for it." he threatens. He returns fire with a cucumber slice and in minutes the two are assaulting each other with vegetables, dodging ranch.

Xigbar walks in and celery lands squarely at his face. "Hey! Don't take away my other eye! It's my last one!" He yells

The two looked at each other and splash olive oil on him. Xigbar scowls, making the teens gulped. Then Xigbar grabbed the ranch bottles and squeezed it on the two. Namine shrieks as she's sprayed across her torso.

The food fight resumed.

It was 3:00 in the afternoon and five people were sitting at the kitchen floor exhausted and covered in condiments and food.

After 10 minutes of fighting with Xigbar, Demyx and Axel had came to investigate the noise and to get snacks.

Being devilish, the newcomers joined and aimed directly at Xigbar and Roxas with whip cream. They had eventually stopped using only dried foods and sauces to open the fridge and start using the eggs, cakes, smoothies and more.

Poor Namine was the only girl and the boys had excellent aim. They had ganged up on her twice with caramel sauce and sushi. But she had her glory landing yogurt down all of their shirts.

"Man, that was the best food fight ever. Larxene would have murdered me if I threw sashimi at her like I did with Namine." Demyx yawns.

"No kidding. We better clean up before we smell. And these nuts are itchy." Axel said lifting his shirt spilling some almonds out. "But the yogurt feels soothing and smooth. " He now reached for his back and licked yogurt.

"Yuck." Four voices said at the same time. Now Axel's face looked like discovery was dawning in. "Not bad with takoyaki!" Now he was happy and bobbing his head. The other four looked at him strangely.

Demyx had applesauce at his hair, Xigbar's eyepatch, actually his face, was drying with cake Axel had forced on him. Namine was wiping off avocado smoothie. Axel simply looked like he filled a tub with food and jumped in with a cannonball. A wiener was dangling at his ear. Roxas had the least damage but still had lettuce and chocolate peeking out of his collar.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?" someone roars. They all looked up to see Vexen glaring and furious.

"Xigbar, YOU were supposed to look after these two! But instead, you join their mischief? Clean up now and GET OUT!" Vexen shouts before storming off, boots stomping.

"H-oooookay kids. First, get yourselves cleaned up in your rooms. Namine can go to Larxene. Don't trail food on the way, and hurry up. Then meet back here." Xigbar said. Everyone grins then went up the grand staircase.

Axel and Demyx were snickering as they went to their rooms. Roxas led Namine to a yellow door after several turns. "Don't intrude unless you want to be castrated. This especially means YOU Demyx and Axel!" a sign hanging in the door warns. Roxas knocked anyway and opened the door.

Larxene was sitting crosslegged in a yellow bed with her textbooks surrounding her. "I knew it was you Roxas. You're the only uncavemen here that actually knocks. What is it?" she said without looking up.

"She needs your help." Roxas steps aside and Larxene finally looked up. She seemed taken back at their appearance. "Fine." she said curtly. Roxas picked out something from Namine's hair and held up crab. "Lunch?" he asked. "Your fault." Namine replies. He walks out of the room and shuts the door behind him.

Larxene smiles her rare beauty smile. "I'm impressed. Roxas had never played food fight before. The stiff. But Axel and Demyx are more believable."

"They were on it after ten minutes." Namine replied. "Of course." Larxene said rolling her eyes. "Shower's behind that white door and throw away any chunky stuff at the trash can. Don't want you clogging the drain. I'll look for some spare clothes."

"Thank you Larxene." Namine says gratefully. She walked to the bathroom.

The bathroom was blinding white. There was at least twenty candles and a lighter. Larxene poked in with a towels. "Here's the guest towels, three's enough? And help yourself to anything, light some candles but don't make a mess. Your dirty clothes go on the plastic bag with the towels."

Namine saw a melon-scented candle and lit it. She discards her outfit and stepped in to the hot water. The stickiness washing away felt great. "Now for the hard part." she thought. She took fifteen minutes picking out nuts, cake filling, seafood, and fruit pieces. The bath shelf was filled with about thirty-five shampoos, conditioners, soaps, bath gels and etc.. She used the lavenders, taking only the necessary amount. She finished then wrapped herself in towels. When she was out, Larxene was taking out tops, skirts, and shorts.

"Okay Nami. Take your pick. I know you want to keep it plain but this is the best I can do. The simple stuff is packed away somewhere and I can't find it. Sorry, here ya go." She said. Namine looked around and picked a white shirt with silver sequins shaped "14" in the back and denim shorts. She went back to the bathroom and changed.

She got out again and Larxene inspected her. "Good figure, you make the clothes great. But..." she then took the strings hanging from Namine's sleeves and wound them around Namine's arm finishing with a ribbon. She handed her the plastic bag then said "Now get out of here and show off." Namine was pushed out of the room and the door slammed close behind her.

Roxas was waiting in the hall with Axel and Demyx. "Let's get downstairs. And great clothes, Nami." Axel said.

Xigbar was clean and waiting with sponges and mops. "Axel, Demyx, don't you try to weasel out of this! You two have to clean up the kitchen. Count your blessings that our aims hadn't landed in the other areas. Especially our prized TV," Axel rolled his eyes. "Nam, Rox, get out of here and start your homework! I KNOW you're supposed to do that!" Xigbar said.

"BUT!" Axel and Demyx cried out. "No buts! Get started!" Xigbar yelled. Namine and Roxas grin then scrambled out to the front hall. They heard Demyx whine "But they started it! And what are you gonna do?"

"I'm shooting outside." Xigbar replied.

"NO FAIR!" The two moan despairingly.

The other two were happy to get out of cleaning. "Well, Demyx and Axel will kill us if we go back. Or get shot by Xigbar at the backyard. So it's either upstairs or Marluxia's garden in the front. Where do you wanna go?" Roxas asked.

"Outside. We have been told several times to get out." Namine replied.

Roxas smiled wryly. "Okay then. I'll get my stuff. Your bag's still hanging from the coat rack." he said before jogging up the stairs.

He came back after a few minutes with a large art kit. " There's an art section in the library." he explained. They opened the large double doors. Now the garden seemed bigger when you're on foot.

Roses, orchids, and carnations were just about the only flowers Namine could surely identify.

Everything else was exotic or probably cross-polinated. Roxas chuckled at her face. "Believe it. Marluxia's a gardener maniac. He keeps boasting that he has sixteen-hundred breeds of plants and fifty different types of carnivorous plants. Vexen makes it worse by making them mutated or freakishly big. But don't worry, they're on their own secluded part."

Namine was relieved. It was hard to wrap her brain around the fact that there was fifty breeds of flesh-eating plants without being toxicated by a scientist.

They walked towards one of the pillars. "We go up the ivy. It's really strong and I've done this a lot of times. Don't be afraid. I'll go first so you can see where to step. I'll carry all your stuff." He offers, taking Namine's bag. He starts his ascent, and dug in the ivy for Namine to step on.

They got up in a good fifteen minutes. Namine could take three small steps to get across. Roxas had placed her bag down at a corner.

"Get comfortable and wait for me to get up the pillar across you. We'll face each other and start. The sunset will give us a great background. We'll do the sketches first and we can do the painting inside. Sounds good?" he asked.

"Yup. It's great up here, so breezy. Summer's not over yet and it's still so hot." Namine comments sitting down, dangling her legs. "Don't fall!" he warns winking.

By the time Namine got her things out, he was down. She watched him climb up the other pillar. He had agility. His strong mucles strained as they pulled him up while the legs were racing to get higher. "I guess he's quicker without me to help." she thought. The she noticed that he was carrying his art set. He was only using one hand!

"He's so strong. But he is an athlete. I've seen Sora, Riku, and Hayner lift the girls tons of times." she thought.

"How ya doing? Let's get started before night falls!" he shouts. "Kay!" she yells back.

They finally got to work. The wind was refreshing and Roxas has to be the easiest persons she's drawn. He was so still when she looked up. She was drawing him with his sketchpad, head bent down, ivy behind his legs. The sunset against his back was great.

Halfway, music could be heard from a window. Piano. She could detect the half-notes, the rests, the flowing composition. It made everything perfect. They worked steadily, in sync, unconciously taking turns looking up.

_"What a good drawing Nam. The sunset._" the memory voice said. She ignored it. The moment was so nice she was going to savor it. No voice was stopping her from concentrating on her project with her crush. Nope. Not now. No way.

Hands blurred as they pressed several keys in a second, music coming out in harmony. A difficult piece the creator made, "_Midnight Grasp_" had an uncountable amount of writing. With some machines whirring away, it looked like a recording.

"I'm glad I'm not the only musician in our clan." Demyx offers after the piano was quiet, a buttom labeled "recording done" pushed.

Zexion brushed a few strands wandering to his left eye away. "Your the expert. Did it sound sensible?" he asked.

"It sounded sad. A while ago you were playing something happier. I know this song is dedicated to someone. You keep remembering her?" Demyx asked.

"Yes." Zexion said quietly. "I'm not feeling like I'm human for the last few weeks so I wrote this. It's been decades but it still hurts that she didn't accept me for being who I am... I loved her, I still do, but I frightened her away."

"Zexion, you're not alone. All of us has gone through this before the alternate. Right now, Roxas is going through it again. I''m happy for Axel and Larxene that they have each other, even if they won't admit it. Want me to join you?" Demyx said, revealing his sitar.

"Yeah. I don't always have to be alone I guess. Friends are here for me too." Zexion said. Now a gentle, healing song could be heard through the mansion made by a piano and a sitar, words not needed to understand it.

A while ago, a sadness entered Namine as she heard the previous song. It reminded her of loss and gains. Namine had lost some memories and she and Roxas probably can't be together. "_He has to have a girlfriend. He's so popular. The girl must be breath takingly beautiful and talented and a hundred times a lot better than me. I'm being stupid for crushing on him. Then again, I'm not the first one_" she thought wryly. "_But he's so amazing. I should accept Darius's date and get over him. He's not someone I'll gain the way I'd want. I'd be lucky to be his friend_." she thought sadly. Twilight was all around, the cold enwrapping her exposed skin. She was done with the main lines a few minutes ago and was lazily adding some details.

Roxas got her attention shouting "Sorry I took so long! I couldn't get the picture right. Toss your bag here then we can get down. Can you still see the footholds?"

"Yeah!" Namine yelled back. She packed then threw her bag. Roxas caught it with one hand and was going down quickly again. Namine wasn't as fast but the vines still had the tracks and she could feel around for them. A _THUP_ indicated that Roxas was down already.

She was halfway and while rushing, she forgot to lift off the ivy and her left foot caught. "Uugh!" she grunted as she yanked at her foot. She tried several times and with one last tug, she was freed. But she had put in too much force and threw her whole body from the pillar. Her arms flew out to grab the ivy but it broke away and she fell off.

She was too shocked to scream. And she honestly thought she would die now.

Namine fell in her back. The strange thing was the ground fell along with her. And she could only feel it touching her knees and her back. Her eyes were blurry and she could only see blue and gold. "Hey, hey. You're okay Namine. Please stop crying. You're safe" Roxas said gently.

Namine blinked and she realized that she was crying. The tears dripped away and the colors hardend to Roxas and the night sky. "That was quite a fall. Maybe thirty feet. Lucky I caught you, huh, Clumsy?"

His face was amused and relieved.

He was relieved she's alive. That made her so happy. "Thanks Roxas. For saving my life. I'm a little too uncoordinated for my own safety." Namine chuckled.

"I'm okay with saving you anytime." he whispered. The skin contact made Namine's heartbeat sped up. "Umm... You can put me down now." she said, heat rushing up her face.

Roxas blinked several times, as if clearing his head. "Right. My bad." he said gently. He was smiling again now. She was back on her feet and was hyperventilating that she was so close to him. An intense connection.

_When you walk away, you don't hear me say- please- oh baby, Don't go. Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight. It's hard to let it go-_

"_What's with the music? I don't mind though. Everything is so much sweeter_." Namine thought. But Roxas bursts her bubble. "Namine, your cell phone is ringing." Now it was vibrating in her pocket.

Namine sucked in her cheeks for being sappy. _Bzzt! Bzzt!_ "Okay! Okay!" Namine said to her cellphone as she took it out. It was her home number. "Namine, where are you? Get home now, you'll miss dinner." her mom said.

"Alright, Mom. I'll go tell Roxas." she replied. She hung up and looked back up to Roxas. "Can I have a ride? My dad's still at work and none of them knows this place."

Roxas nodded and said, "I'll get Xigbar. It's too bad you have to go. We didn't even finish the assignment."

"I really like it here. I wish I could have had more time to study these flowers. They're so beautiful, I'd like to paint them sometime."

"_Ooh! Pretty flowers!_" a young girl's voice said in her head. Namine ignored it and payed attention to the dream boy talking to her.

"You like them? I had a feeling you would," he said. He bent down opening his set and took out scissors. "Here, cut as much as you want. Marluxia won't mind and he'd be able to regrow it anyway. I'll go inside to get your clothes and a vase. Here's your bag." he said removing it from his shoulder.

He turned around walking to the house. Namine shouldered her bag and went to the closest garden. Red tiger lilies were open and piling on top of each other. She clipped out a few. She kept at it, wandering around, taking irregular colored carnations, sunflowers, baby's breath, daisies, marygolds, poppies, and cross-bred flora. The bunch soon turned to a bouquet. She didn't feel bad, there was thousands and this Marluxia person was talented.

Now the hedges made corners and turns. It was a maze. Namine was fascinated since she's never been to one. She ran in and continued to clip.

"Wow!" Namine gasped out. Up ahead was the most incredible roses she had ever seen. They were snow-white in the moonlight tinged with deep blue at the tips. The leaves and thorns were a royal violet. A pond surrounded the flowering bush except for a stoned path.

She placed down the bouquet so that she could at least get a handful of roses. She ran to the clearing and out of the maze, eager to see the roses up close.

Namine inspected the thorns. They looked poisonous. "Better not touch those." she muttered. She clipped out a dozen.

_CRICH_! _CREAAAAAKKKK_! Namine turned around alert and saw that the entrance was covered with humoungous blooms three times the size of her head. _CRASH_! What seemed like trunks, no, branches were moving and blocking her way.

"No way..." she whispers breaking into cold sweat. Plants aren't suppose to move like that! It's not possible that in _twenty_ seconds, they're in one place then another on their own! She thought her abnormal heartbeats damaged her brain to insanity.

The flowerheads turned around and faced her. It bloomed open and showed rows of teeth in each petal. It snapped towards her like dogs. Five flowers snapping at her! "No fucking way!" she yelled out.

On the other side of the roses was another path to the maze. She ran down the downhill cement. She was panicking so badly she tripped on the dirt. All she could do was give out a shriek before falling. "Aaah!" she yelled out in instinct. The hill path was strewn with more rose thorns and rocks. She rolled on dizzily for a moment then she made the bottom and stayed still trying to catch her breath.

_Shh...Crack! _It was on full volume and Namine figured out it was above her head. _SNAP!_ Namine felt several needles all around her waist. She was lifted off the ground then tossed like a doll into the air fifty feet up. It was like she was on a roller coaster and decided to jump off while it was running.

She was spiraling and she looked down to see the bloom's opening jaws and throat. Her scream was stuck in her throat, her limbs detached from fear. "I'm gonna die eaten by a plant!" she screamed in her head.

_THRAAACK!THUDDDD!_ The stem seemed to have collapsed and the head fell down. Namine covered her face in fear then she landed on her back on a soft surface. She landed on the flat side of the plant, the head gushing out green liquids on her weight.

Namine sat up, blinking. "I'm still alive?" she says outloud.

"Khahaha..." someone laughed softly. She looked up to see the moon blocked by someone tall and had blue, untidy hair. A scar shaped X was between his eyes, his irises glinting yellow maliciously.

"I came to kill some irritating, growling flytraps. But this is a nice suprise. Now the plants won't be the only things quiet tonight." he said. Her skin was raising bumps, alert of the danger, her lower lip trembling.

"Zexion, can you read Saix's mind and tell me where he is?" Lexaeus asked. Zexion was still on the piano, but now writing a new song.

"I'm a little occupied Lexaeus. What do you need him for?"

"Saix needs to be locked up. He's in the condition and we're low on the alternate."

Zexion raised his hands to his temples. "Hmm... let me focus," He closed his eyes. Seconds ticked by until he finally picked up on Saix. "Not good. He's losing control." he muttered. Then his eyebrows knitted together, his eyes shot open. "Not good at all! He's by Namine right now!" he yells urgently bolting up. Lexaeus ran out to the gardens where Roxas left her. Zexion was right behind.

The man with the blue hair took a step foward. "DON'T SAIX!" The next second, he was gone. Namine looked to her left. Demyx and Axel were holding down the man called Saix. They were rolling on the ground, the two trying to stay on top of Saix to hold him down.

"Namine! Get away from Saix!" Namine couldn't find the source of the voice but she got up and started to run away. She was forty feet away now, inside the bigger mazes. _CRA-TASH._ Roxas bursted through a hedge 60ft away across Namine. He ran to Saix and was putting him on a headlock. THe only way Namine could describe Saix's behavior was a rabid wild dog. He was shaking his head back and forth and again rapidly, eyes wild, trying to break away. "_GRAAA_!" he roared savagely.

Her fear of this confusing situation made her think faster. So the next moment was in clear slow motion.

Saix elbowed Axel on the face and Demyx on his midsection. Roxas was left to hold him. Saix pulled out of Roxas's headlock and sprinted towards Namine. She knew she had to run but she didn't know why. What's the worse a weaponless man could do? But she still turned around and ran.

Rocks and thorns hindered her but she kept at it. Then she reached an intersection in the maze. About to take her right, the worse thing happened. A flashback. White blinded her and then she was in a memory amd immobilized.

The world was bigger, on a beach, the moon a fading shard as dawn approaches. In her mind, she was running and was slow on her little legs and the sand. "Mommy! Daddy!" she screamed. She fell down from being so tired and looked up. Two shadowed faces looming over her. And someone else running to her yelling "_NAMINE! RUN!_" She gave a frightened shriek.

White flashed one more and the yells blended to the noise of the present. Now it was Roxas yelling the warning. She was screaming too, like in the memory and falling backwards. Saix was ten feet away, a hand raised by his side as if to stab with his nails.

Suddenly Roxas was there in front of her. He lifted her from the thorn-strewn ground easily and kicked Saix away as he was about to lunge at her.

Saix spiraled to the ground from the kick's force.

Roxas was now sprinting through the maze, Namine's head throbbing at trying to keep up with the events. She looked back. A tall, brawny man with red-bronze hair was holding back Saix. Zexion was there too, doing the headlock. "Lexaeus! Lock up Saix!" Roxas yelled over his shoulder.

Namine didn't know if she should protest being carried or not. But the situation was tense, Roxas gripping her hard. Five minutes later through the turns, they reached the driveway. _SCREECH!_ Tires squeeled in the cement and a lightning yellow Audi Coup appeared by Roxas. Larxene rolled down the windows and Roxas opened the back door and placed Namine in.

He spoke through the open window. "Namine! I know this is sudden, but go home now. Saix had a drug overdose and I have to help! I'll see you soon, I'm sorry. At least I can give you one small gift." He took out a rose from his jacket and gave it to her.

"Roxas, go!" I'll take care of her. Help Axel and Saix!" Larxene said. She started the gas and was speeding out the driveway. Namine turned around and saw that Roxas was already inside the maze again.

"Namine. We're here."

Larxene's voice broke through Namine's sleep. She slipped into unconsciousness as soon as they were out of the forest surrounding the mansion. She was so tired she couldn't locate the feeling of her neck. The sleep kept logic seperated from drug consequences and experimental plants. She glanced outside. They were across her house.

"All your things are there in the backseat. Put on your jacket and change into those jeans. Keep the clothes I gave you." Larxene's voice was clear and bell-like through her hazy mind. Namine followed the commands.

"Namine, get to bed and make sure you're okay. And please try tro hide your scratches, we don't want Roxas to get blamed," Larxene was speaking softly but her voice was firm. "Okay? And good night." she added gently, turning around in her seat.

Namine glanced up at Larxene's comforting eyes. She nodded and got out of the car with her bag and her rose. "G'night Larxene." She stumbled to her front door and opened the unlocked door.

"Honey? Is that you? Why are you so late?" her mother asked.

"Um... they invited me for dinner. Is that okay? I'll just go to bed."

Namine's mother walked over and hugged her. It felt so warm to Namine. "Alright hon. Sweet dreams. Don't forget to brush your teeth." Namine nodded and went straight to the bathroom.

She washed her face and studied her reflection in the mirror. Ruffled blonde hair, confused blue eyes, bits of dirt still in her face. It was suprising that her mom hadn't overreacted. She was in a bad state. _Flash._ Little Namine crying and looking back at her. _Flash_. Her present reflection again. "Get out of my head." she muttered. She brushed her teeth then went to her room.

She dropped her bag in the floor and absent-mindedly stroke her rose before placing it in her bedside table. Utterly exhausted, she sank gratefully into her bed and immediately fell asleep. Her dreams were mixed and drifting with the events of today.

Sora scowling. Roxas picking her up from her house. Him cooking. Him laughing at the food fight. His agility climbing down. Flowers. Running happily in the maze. Seeing the flytrap's teeth. Him coming for her. Headlocking Saix. Him catching her as she fell off the pillar. Roxas smiling at her in the moonlight. The golden key in her hand.

Namine's eyes shot open. She looked at her bedside clock. 4:30. She hadn't even changed out of her clothes. Her hand flew to her neck. Even with all the events, the pendant was still there.

She jumped out of her bed and carefully went to her table through her hectic room. The box was still there, glinting in the dissapearing star's light.

Her breath shaking, she unlatched the necklace and cautiously placed the key in. It fit perfectly. She slowly turned it. _Click._ She lifted the lid open.

Against her will, tears spilled out as she saw what was inside.


	6. Sunday

Hey there! I'm so glad for all the reviews I got, I give you all cookies! And icecream! I kinda find it weird that some people faved or put me in alert but not reviewed yet but that's none of my buiseness. One of my bestfriends aren't going to freshman with me so I felt bad and did some stuff, that's why I'm taking so long with my updates. And I kinda describe it as best as I can as I make my mental movie in my mind. So try to imagine it like a movie too!

Thank you for sticking with me and I honestly think that it's not gonna be so great. My whole plan for the story seem to be more floppish the more I wait. So before I completely delete this, I'll continue. Oh yeah, one of my friends, penname ValkirieMissile is writing a story so when you see it, please read it. She already posted one but she deleted it. I'll be dedicating this chapter to my friends Scythereal Angel, White Simplicity, and my chorus bestest buddy, (Axelish here) Pixie Riordan. I'd use her real name but it doesn't say in her profile so I'll respect her wishes.

And a christmas song topic. Madmaddie from DA, I used your reindork name but the song is purely mine.

Many have been waiting for a certain something so I'm back from stealing from a certain factory and no, I'm trying hard not to copy someone. I'm sorry if my humor isn't funny but there's some stuff that made me laugh hard while writing. Ok, here goes. Angel's Blood, chapter 6: Sunday. Hope it's worth the wait!

P.S. I hate it that my program doesn't have a spell check! It's frircatating! (Freaking irking irittating).

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It was her parents. A blond man and blonde woman. The blond man was the same one from her flashback yesterday. As for the woman... Namine doesn't have a recollection of her or think she had met her before, but she knew it was them. Between them, was a newborn baby. Namine knew she was the baby, she had the same pendant necklace around her little throat.

What she didn't know or understand was how she knew it was them. Her parents were sleeping down the hall, sleeping. And these people are total strangers to her! They can't be her parents!

But they are.

Confusion swirled with denial in her as she stared at the aging photo. Soon, her emotional tears turned angry. "I hate this! I can't understand these memories or feelings! Just last summer, my world was normal!" she said gripping her box as if to crush it. " Now there's giant meat eating plants and mixed parenting?!" her voice rising. "I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!" she yelled. She threw the box to her bookcase and four books fell from the impact.

Something silver fell out. Namine was too frustrated to be curious and grabbed some clothes from her floor and made a makeshift pillow and simply layed there in her cold marble floor.

Namine looked the great window through the lacy curtains as the sun slowly came out. Thoughtlessly watching, the raging storm inside her eventually dulled down. When the sun was a good three centimeters above the sea in her vision, she got up since her body was complaining about the cold and aches from the floor.

Calmly, she located her towel and toilettries with some clothes from her wardrobe and took a shower.

She got back to her room, clean and dressed. Still not looking at the box or the key still attached to the keyhole, she started to tidy up. Dirty clothes on hamper, fixed the bed, yearbooks and music sheets on their places. Stubbornly, she even took the hamper to the laundry room and did her load and getting breakfast. She did all them quietly though, her parents were still sleeping.

After washing the dishes, she sighed and took a big a big breath. "Time to face the music. Or technically, the box." she mumbled. Namine plodded up the stairs to her room and crouched down to pick up the box and the photo. Under that was a necklace. Or specificlly, a choker. A black satin-leather strap with a beautiful feather-wings like shaped heart charm, set in the middle. ( just imagine that it matches Sora's ultima, the save the queen/king weapons, more exact.) It was silver, heavy, obviously precious and real silver.

Each feather was defined and intricate to the individual lashes. Another M was at the back, above the heart-shaped hole in the middle. This part of the box's suprise made her smile. "Thank you. Mom. Dad." Then she laced the choker on with the pendant-key. Now she had a silver heart clinging to her neck and a golden key loose below her throat. Not too show-offy. Both were small jewelry.

"_Make new friends. Keep the old._

_One is silver and the other's gold."_ she sang whimsically.

"I guess that's all that was in the box." Namine said to herself. She picked up the books and re-shelfed them. Under the last was a folded paper. "Huh?"

Namine unfolded the paper and smoothened it out. It was a cursive-flowing script of a handwriting. Namine was eager to read it but couldn't. And why?

Because it was on another language. "Oh great." Namine could feel her balloon of excitement shrink and deflate. "But it's from them, I'll keep it." she said. The paper had a nostalgicly good feeling.

She neatly folded it up and placed it inside the box with the photo. Carefully, she placed it between the triangle of Kairi's, Sora's, and Riku's dolls.

Namine stood back as if to admire one of her works. It felt relieving, as if she just made a confession. She smiled at the thought and got to her balcony. 7:30 of Sunday, the sun pleasently warm in her face. "Vexen better have placed some chemicals on the food Roxas cooked. I'll need an explanation to convince anyone or myself that I'm not crazy for having these moodswings" she said outloud. This felt good too so she laughed and stared at the early mornig clouds.

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"BWOK!BWOK!" A very good imitation of a chicken. "BWOK, BWOK BWOK BWOK BWOK ... BWOK!!" Now it was a knock-knock singsong in clucks.

"Ding-dong! I'm using the doorbell since knocking politely isn't working! How hard is it to get a Myoga imitation to come out and use the phone!" the same clucker said.

"One. That is not polite. Two. I'm not being scared like Myoga. Three, you shouldn't mock the show Inuyasha, you'll mysteriouly die at the hands of enthusiasts. They just might be enthusiastic enough to torture too. Four, I thought you like red?"

"So?"

"Inuyasha wears red. So don't mock him."

"Right Rox-wuss. My bad."

"Axel, don't make me stoop to your level." Roxas said in a deadly calm voice.

**Imagine really hard as you read this. Dar, look at wikipedia for a pic of Axel and imagine him doing the things if you don't know him.**

"Soon coming to a theatre near you! The cowardly chronicles classifiying Sir Chicken Chokes-A-LOT!" Axel exagerated with raising his arms up.

"THE MOVIE!" Now Axel was flapping his arms with a can-can ( I was laughing a this -).

Demyx was walking in to the room in time to see Roxas slap his hand to his face swearing incoherently under his breath. Demyx was startled at the sight and started to back out slowly.

Axel was... well, for lack of words, cuckoo. His back was turned to both and doing disco with that finger thing and "Whoot! Whoot!" His rump was bouncing up and down.

"No Demyx. Stay. We'll need your help. _I'll_ need your help." Roxas said through gritted teeth and his fingers. "Ok..." Demyx said casually. He picked up a hammer with his right hand. The other was covered in bandages. "What's up with Axel?"

"Apparently, sugar." Roxas said bluntly. He started sawing away at wood. "Oh..." Demyx responsed.

The reason there was saws, hammers, nails, paint, powertools, hardhats, icecream, lumber, metal and etc. lying around was that everyone was rebuilding the front hall and part of the stairs and an even bigger part of the dinning hall.

Luxord, Vexen, Xaldin, and Lexaeus were hoisting wood and building the grand stair's frame. Roxas was cutting the wood, Xigbar was nailing them, Larxene's retiling the floor, Zexion was drilling screws and stuff because Xigbar was banned from it (something about holes appearing on Luxord's deck of cards, and Xigbar in danger of needing another eyepatch later.), Marluxia out buying more supplies, and Axel was suppose to take care of the metal frames and supports. Everyone was just to paint whatever area they finished.

Demyx wasn't there because he was in charge of cooking and refreshments thus the ice cream but only that, since he had broken ribs and a sprained arm. He wasn't allowed to risk getting injured. Marluxia went to the store because he got repeatedly hit in the head with wood or tools ( ahem...Axel), so after being knocked out cold, he just raged out the front doors which he narrowly avoided from collapsing on him. **(Pixie R, please don't get mad, he's still alive... with some bruises,er.)**

"Hehe... sorry about that."Axel chuckled. He was standing still now, not dancing.

"Demyx, you could have brought fruit instead of buckets of ice cream. Or at least stopped Axel from dumping sugar and chocolate **(Mmm...)** on his bowl." Roxas said.

Demyx looked defensive. "But if I tried to stop him, he would have poked me in my ribs or hands and that hurts."

"Anyways, Rox-wuss, just go pick up the phone. Or better yet, just pick her up in suprise." Axel said with a shifty grin.

Roxas slammed his saw down with a huff. "You asked for it...

_Axel the red-nosed reindork! Had such a shiny nose!_

_And if you ever saw himm you'll laugh until you blow!_

_All the others would laugh and call him names!_

_They let clueless Axel, drink some of Vexen's-tranquilizer-to-be-tamed!_

_(now sings like -one foggy xmas eve) And one destroyed morning, Larxene came to say-y-y-y_

_Axel, what happened to your nose last night, did you and Zexion fight?"_

Demyx and the gang was laughing, Roxas was waving his fingers to the beat. "Shut up." Axel said throwing a metal bar at Roxas and he ducked. It clattered to the floor and messed up Larxene's tile design.

"Axel!"

"Sorry." Axel said. With that, she sighed and everyone got to work again.

"Dude, you embarassed me in front of Larxene!" he whispered under his breath.

"Dude, you can do that by yourself!" Roxas laughed. Axel's hand flew to his face. He had a big cast on his nose with red sharpie all over it. That's why if by some chance you were laughing a while ago, redo the whole image with an Axel clown! Haha.

"Not my fault! Saix was being strong and nearly broke my face!" Axel said. The trio got silent, remembering the rampage of last night. Saix going loose, Demyx and Axel getting injured, the front hall, stairs, the double doors getting damaged in the process trying to restrain Saix. Axel got mad and shook it off.

Then he did a lightning-fast punch on Roxas toppling him to Demyx.

"Just because you have a broken nose, you wanna break my jaw?!" Roxas yelled gingerly massaging his jaw.

"Yeah, you humiliated me!"

"Axel, my and Namine's case is different from yours and Larxene's. Mine's is difficult, you're being plain stupid. And don't spout that crap ' I don't see her often' excuse. You live in the same house!"

"But it's hard for me! For you, Namine won't likely punch you in any reason while Larxene might or stab me if something remotely pointy is around!"

"That won't affect you!"

"Axel, you're being **eight.** It's immature." Demyx cutted in.

" That's so far off. I'm older than that! I'm-wait! Roxas, don't change the subject! Call Namine!"

Roxas stayed silent for a while. "It's ten already. She probably has plans."

"She'll want to be with you. Right everyone?" Yeah!, yes, Sure's were ensued from all over. But Larxene added the cherry on top. "Roxas, last night, she told me that she liked you. Go call her."

Roxas was so shocked that he accidently cutted his hand.

In the great forest of Twilight Town, a scream echoed followed by some laughter, a " Way to go, charming!", and lastly, an echoe of when skull meets fist. Can you guess where each one came from?

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Namine was enjoying herself. She was at the balcony doing her favorite thing at her favorite place. It was Sunday so she had to finish her homework before school. She already finished five subjects and was saving the last one for herself. And the _subject_ of the subject made it more enjoyable still.

For the art piece, she decided to blend color pencils and dry and wet pastels. The background was colorpencils to enchance and contrast the pastels. The effect was Roxas on the sunset.

"_Itsu no hi ka distance mo  
Dakishimerareru you ni nareru yo  
We can start sooner  
Yappari, I wanna be with you_-_u-u-u"_

"Oh, Nami's in love!" Kairi chirped in. She was also talking to Kairi. Kairi needed help with Calculus so she came over. Now Kairi was on her laptop chatting with Olette and Selphie while Namine did her painting. Namine rolled her eyes.

"I'm not. Just practicing my singing."

"A song of Hikaru's?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"You're singing about love while painting Roxas! And you're doing a damn good job of it!"

"I love art!"

"And a certain someone!"

"Quit it! And hush, my cell."

_-Baby!Don't go! Simple and Cle- _Crip! The phone was flipped open. " Hello?"

"Namine? This is Roxas. Are you doing anything now? Will you go out with me?"

" Nami?!" Kairi asked alarmed. Namine had dropped her cell phone in shock.

Kairi started giggling madly. Namine thawed then got mad with an "I know what you're doing" look. She picked up her phone and said "Look Sora! I can't believe you're prankcalling me! Go away!"

"But this is-"

"Hang up and go AWAY!"

Beep! Namine had hung up on the other person. _When you-_ Namine flipped open her phone.

"I HATE you!" Beep. Line's dead.

"Why did you think that was Sora?" Kairi asked.

"Cuz you started laughing maniaclly and Roxas would never ask me out."

"But that's not Sora."

"He sounded like him.''

"No it _can't_ be Sora, I'm talking to him." Kairi held up her cellphone with the caller ID saying Sora.

"How do I know you didn't just call him now?"

"Because I've been talking to him for half an hour, right, Sora-hon? I can't believe you didn't notice. You're so obsessed with that painting."

"Kairi? What's going on? You were talking to Namine then it went quiet. Hello? Kairi?" Sora's voice said in the speaker.

"See?"

Horror filled Namines face.

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

BANG!! BANG!! BANG!! Thud.

"Roxas, banging you're head until you're unconcious won't do any good." Roxas was banging his head to the staircases support beams. Lexaeus growled at him as the beams started shaking.

"So she hates you. Buck up!" Axel said puching Roxas on the arm.

"Uugh..." was all Roxas replied.

"Isn't that just embarassing? Consider this payback but I didn't plan this."

Thud. Axel was knocked out because Demyx hitted him with his sitar.

"He can be so stupid sometimes." Demyx said shaking his head. Roxas mumbled out thanks and sank to the floor groaning.

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"Larxene!!" The glass doors leading to the outside bursted open. Larxene placed down her bow and arrows slightly annoyed.

"Yes? What is it?" Larxene asked.

"You lied to me! Now she hates me!" Roxas said frowning.

"About what?"

"Namine! You said she liked me! I called her and she screamed she hated me!"

Larxene's mouth twitched to a smile. "I'll burn Axel's ass if you laugh!" Roxas threatened.

"Why me?!" Axel complained.

Thwok. Thwa-a-ang. "Why ME?!" Axel repeated. Larxene had shot an arrow and it narrowly missed Axels hair. So it went through his spiky hair and her bowstring was still vibrating.

"One. You guys are interrupting my break from that hectic rebuilding room so I'm a little IRRitable. Two, as a girl, I shouldn't get threatened so you're the victim Axel. Three, Repeat the conversation Roxas." Roxas did and Larxene listened patiently.

"You dolt. She said _Sora_. She thinks Sora was prankcalling her." Roxas brightened up and took out his cell phone again.

"Larxy, you're so smart." Axel said approaching with his arms held out for a hug. Larxene held up her bow and took a good aim. Roxas and Demyx watched.

"OW! MY BUTT!"

"Good shot Lar!" Xigbar said popping out to the backyard.

"I know." Larxene said giving an eyelashy wink to Axel.

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"Oh my gosh-h-h-h. I was so horrible to that person." Namine said. She started pressing buttons on her cell. "I have to call that person back. Shoots, their number's unknown."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Hello, Nami, you're missing the important point. It's not just any person. That was Roxas."

Now Namine dropped her phone _again._" Oh. My. God. I hung up on Roxas. And he was so nice to me last night too." Namine said in a dazed state.

Kairi narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean last night?!"

An all too quick "Nothing!" was Namine's response.

_When you walk away, you don't hear me say-_ Namine seized her cellphone from the floor. "Hello?!"

"Namine, this is Roxas. I'm sorry if I offensed you a while ago. I was gonna ask if you wanted to go out with me, but if you don't want to, I'll understand, after I treated you like that last night." Roxas said in the other line.

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Roxas souded cool-calm in the phone but in reality, Roxas was plane wreck, crashing and burning. Axel was laughing cruelly on the floor, Demyx was being a good friend holding in his laugh teetering on the pint of breakdown.

It wasn't that funny. Roxas was just rubbing his hair so fast that the static made it porcupine straight, he managed to pace and jump up and down at the same time, he broke a few vases running around in panic and tripped on the phone's cord. Three times. And that was before he made the call. No big deal.

He was feeling frenzied butterflies in his stomach for the first time and he was still worried that Namine directed the "I HATE you!" at him. He waited for an answer. A few more minutes and finally, a response. "AAAHH!!" a shriek cried out. A clatter, it sounded like her phone dropped.

Roxas started stressing, then twittering, then crazy. He jumped up and down again, then stood still, threw his head back and stupidly screamed "SHE HATES ME!!"

So Demyx couldn't blamed to crack down or Axel starting all over again obviously enjoying the show. To add to it, Roxas had hit his head to a wall and slid down to the floor. Larxene who was walking by, muttered "Idiotic Fruitloops."

"Hello? Roxas? Hey! Roxas!" Kairi's voice yelled at the speaker. Axel was sane enough to pick it up. "Yea?"

"Wait. Are you Roxas?"

"No, but I'll be talking for him." Axel said snapping his fingers before Roxas's face. Roxas was on the floor lying down straight on his back singing "Sprinkle-sprinkle stars".

"Whatever. Namine will be going to that date. Where's the place?"

"Don't worry about it, Roxas'll pick her up, at 12. Got it memorized? **(I couldn't resistXD.)**"

"Oh, Axel. Got it. Bye."

"And get her dressed casually for a movie."

"Mm-hm."

Beep. Line's dead. "Okay, buddy, you got a date. Get up." Axel said kicking Roxas and turned to leave. Roxas held out his leg and tripped Axel and fell flat on his face. "Crash and Burn, baby, burn." Roxas sang.

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"Geez. I had to ask for you and Axel had to inform for Roxas. That's not a good way to start dates!" Kairi scolded.

"Uh-huh." Namine said dazed. She was staring at a wall for 3 minutes now.

"**Namine!** You can't stare at a wall forever! You got a date with Roxas!"

Namine still zoned out. Kairi picked up a glass of their lemonade and dumped it on her bestfriend. Namine shrieked. "Kairi! What was that for?! Now I have to take a shower to clean up!"

"Don't worry, you need to shower anyway to prepare for your date! You only got an hour! Let's go!" Kairi said dragging Namine inside. "What date?!" Namine asked alarmed.

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Namine nibbled at her tortilla chips.

"Relax Nami. It'll be fine. It's better to be waiting for him than he waits for you. It's... polite! Yeah, and isn't it a good idea that I picked your clothes while you cleaned up?" Kairi said happilly.

"Yeah, it is, thanks! These clothes are comfy," Namine said straightening her white cargo pants and purple tee. "But what happened to the rule number nine on the official girl's code, always keep boys waiting for a bit?"

"Oh, it's your first date together so it doesn't apply." Kairi said matter-of-factly. Namine shook her head in disbelief as she dipped another chip in quiako salsa.

Meanwhile...

"Axel, what if she hates the color blue? My pants are blue. Or white? Blond? Dirty blond? Cause that's the color of my hair!" Roxas asked as he tied his shoes.

Axel rolled his eyes and smiled. "Roxas, I've never seen you so nervous before in all the _years_ I've known you. You really like her, huh?"

Roxas looked down, his cheeks starting to dot out pink. "I-I can't help it, she's so cute, and nice, and talented, and she has all these expressions on her face that sticks in my mind." he admitted.

Axel turned around to face his friend. "Even when she becomes your girlfriend, I'll still be your best buddy, right Rox?"

BEE-BEEP!!! Roxas's head snapped up. "Axel! Keep your eyes on the road! We don't want to kill anyone!"

Axel snapped around and placed his hands on the wheel again. The car only swerved a bit, not too much damage. The two were on Axel's car, Axel driving while Roxas was putting on his shoes. Axel was already speeding a little bit over the limit. But they both knew they were going to be late.

"Thanks Axel. And dude, don't doubt it! We're bestfriends the whole way."

"Nice to hear it. By the way, where are you taking her?"

"Hm. I don't know," Roxas imitated Zexion's thinking pose."I was thinking just the art gallery. She likes art."

Axel snorted. "Man, you're clueless. It's your first date. Make it fun. Memorable. How 'bout the Twilight Theme Park? You know, the one with rides, movies, and rentals?"

"Okay. Fine. But do you know where it is?"

"Of course."

" You were gonna ask Larxene to go there with you weren't you?"

"Shut up."

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"Namine, look!" Kairi said pointing out the living room window. Namine rushed over and peered outside. She was finishing the painting already and was starting to think that Roxas had stood her up. It was a show-offy Ferarri Barchetta with bright flames in the side.

"Wow. An italian sports car. They're rather rich, huh? Wonder why he never drove it. Must be Axel's. The fire paint screams Pyro...Can I have a ride?" Kairi commented.

"First, we ask them." Namine said getting her purse. Kairi grabbed her backpack and laptop and placed the bye-note on the fridge for Namine's parents.

They both got outside and locked the door. "Breathe." Kairi whispered playfully. Namine didn't realize she was holing in her breath waiting to see Roxas. He stepped out gracefully, and relief and flooded her chest.

Then suprise took over. Roxas looked so different. He was wearing black jeans with a chain hanging out, a dark blue polo, a with t-shirt showing a dragon. And his hair wasn't sideswept but combed. His long hair was spiking up now like Sora's but neater. It looked a lot like her olderbrother Cloud's style. On his shoulder was a red bag slinged.

He was so different from the usual school uniform. This was just making her swoon some more. The hairstyle was gonna get some time to get used to. "Go Nami!" Kairi said nudging Namine off the front steps.

"Man, you have to live here in Sunset Hills? Nice views and all but these slopes took out my poor baby." Axel said caressing his car. Roxas bonked Axel.

"And I'll be your chaffeur today. Since you two are too young to drive. And buddy," Axel said slinging his arm around Roxas's shoulders. "She's cute and all," Kairi giggled and Namine blushed. "But if you keep hitting me, you might as well carry her there. I'm seriously amazed that I'm not on the hospital yet since I've been getting concussions all day." Axel finished.

"What happened to your nose?" Kairi asked as she pointed at Axel's nose.

"It's broken, okay? My family signed on it with a red sharpie."

"That really explains the 'Demy wuz hear' signature."

"Yeah, yeah" Axel said waving it off.

"Can I get a ride?" Kairi quipped.

"Sure. Where to?" Axel asked.

"The Aurora Heights. You know where that is?" Kairi asked.

"Dude, everyone keeps asking me that. Does everyone expect that I didn't live my whole life here? Get in the front seat Kairi. The other two are on the back."

All of them got inside the awesome car I'd like to have in four years but would probably crash in a week. They pulled out of the driveway and Axel drove on. Kairi turned on the radio and Frou Frou's song "Holding out for a Hero".

"How suiting." Axel said mockingly. Namine bit her lip and Roxas was considering on knocking out Axel and drive instead. But no licence.

A little while later...

Namine could see rainbows. Aurora heights was surrounded by beaches but no-one swims or surf on it. The waves were too high and strong and always crashed to boulders and jagged rocks. But the sprays always reached high and the sun would hit them, making rainbows. They weren't auroras, but they were so close to it. Kairi was so lucky to live in there. The area wasn't in danger of floods though. The ocean was 60 feet below, so the sprays were reaching quite a distance to be seen in the highways. Even in the moonlight, the water glimmered.Kairi held a lot of sleepovers with the girls to watch the fireworks in her house.

"Address?" Axel spoke out.

"Just go to amethyst street, you'll see the white house that's not pink." Axel turned in and the street had pink houses everywhere except for a blue, green and a white house. Axel drove straight to the white one.

"They should paint the houses purple if it's amethyst" Axel pointed out.

"Well, the council named it after Saint Amethyst, she had purple eyes and was said to have slain monsters. It seems a bit ridiculous to me though. Thanks for the ride," Kairi said stepping out to her driveway. "And have fun!" Kairi said winking at Namine. Namine narrowed her eyes and pouted. _That was not necessary! _Namine thought.

Kairi skipped to her front door (**sorry I'm making her peppy but she has to have ****the**** role**) and waved bye. Axel pulled out and started driving again. Now that Kairi was gone, Namine was getting nervous. She chewed on her lip for the twenty minutes of the drive. She was looking down at her lap the whole time so she was suprised to see where they were when Axel stopped the car. Twilight Theme Park. Expensive.

"Roxas, is this where we're going? I don't have a lot of munny with me. Kairi said that it was just a movie." Namine said frantically.

"It's alright Namine. Rox brought a lot of munny with him. And he has ton's of credit cards. Now get out of my car." Axel said. Both stepped out while Roxas glared at Axel.

"What? Something I said?" Axel said. Roxas punched Axel on the head again. Axel rolled his eyes. "Ok, that was rude. So just go and enjoy." Axel put on some black shades that would have made him look so cool except he had a bright red-pink cast that had signatures, and gave a small salute before speeding away.

Namine didn't know how to act. Roxas turned around and smiled. "Don't worry about the munny. I'll be spending on everything. Namine was about to protest but Roxas shook his head and smiled. "Let me be the gentleman."

Namine nodded and they walked to the entrance and ticket booth.

"Hello there! Welcome to Twilight Town's Constellation Park. How many tickets?" the employee lady said.

"Two" Roxas said.

"Two-thousand munny please." Roxas took out his wallet with the chain dangling and gave the munny.

"Thank you sir! Please enjoy and come back again." the attendant greeted.

The two walked through the gates and gave their tickets to the guard to pass. He stamped it and passed it back to them. The two stuffed their tickets to their pockets.

"So let the date begin." Roxas said with a smile and tilting his head.

**Like I said, back from the cotton factory to give the wanted date. Enjoy the fluff because it isn't gonna come in deluxe packages too often. haha. Long chapter. Hang in there. **

"So what do we do first?" Namine asked looking at all the activities spread out in front of them grinning.

"How about that movie that was promised?" Roxas said pointing to a dome building with a giant sign of "Movies" that has stars scattered around.

"Ok!" she said.

The two rushed in. There was only one show not sold out so they bought tickets to that. Roxas bought some popcorn and sodas for them. He was thinking about everything.

_She's so cute. She's not too girly and not too tomboyish. That great smile that can be brighter than stars. Uugh! Get yourself together man!_ He was mentally kicking himself_. And not afraid to watch a horror. I wonder what she's thinking. _Roxas thought.

_I'm so nervous! Stuttering is the last thing I'm gonna do. Yup, you can do it girl! This is a fantasy come true. You've seen him being compassionate and smart and workout at p.e.. Oh god, thank you for this blessing. If the angel had accidently missed it's target and landed the good fortune on me, I'm grateful! _She thought.

_She's so even tempered and open to many things and she does sports too. I wonder if she could beat Lexaeus at a sport? And Larxene too, even at archery. I've seen her do projectiles at class. And Demyx and her can make songs too. She'll get along with everyone. Even Master will. _

_He can do so many things. Write, sing , play sports, poems, I see him laughing a lot with Demyx and Axel. He's so polite and supporting too. He gave a lot of encouragement to Olette when she missed the ball at baseball. He doesn't have to be perfect, he's great as he is. _

They kept on going on like that the whole walk to the theatre room. They only stopped when they had to pick seats. Namine motioned the back and Roxas agreed. Roxas dumped his bag to the floor. The movie started. It occured to Namine that she doesn't even know what they're watching. The movie started as two best friends with the boy having a crush on his best friend but the girl doesn't know. _A romance?_ she thought.

It went to the middle and the boy was turning to a werewolf. He was fighting off zombies but sometimes he would lose control and attack buildings and innocents. The girl is trying to figure out who the wolf is. It was so gory and had lots of bloodshed so Namine quickly figured out the theme. And she knew she was gonna be scared silly tonight but she tried to focus on who she's with.

Roxas helped. "Can I put my arm around you?" Namine nodded and he did. The warmth of his sleeve helped her a bit. "Are you scared? We can get out." he said noticing her shut her eyes at a scene.

She lied. "N-no. I'm fine." She looked straight and tried her best not to flinch. She just leaned in his shoulder and relaxed. _He's thinking about me. Perfect gentleman. _She watched as the girl discover his identity after he narrowly saved her from a pack of corpse.

"Don't tell me you don't care that I'm a hairy dog freak! You know you're repulsed!" he said.

"But you're my best friend! I know who you really are. And if I love you, would you make me care what you morphed into. You're a hero, you've been saving lives." she said reaching out for him.

"And a monster. I-I-I... I was the one to kill some of the people and your friend Arana." he confessed.

She looked panicked but reached out for him anyway knowing the real story. "You didn't kill her, she was sick. It's not your fault." she told him. He looked at her relieved.

Thud-thud. Her heartbeat was reacting as if it was syncronized with the scene.

The flashback began again. This time she was in a dark room. She was on the arms of her father. "Mommy, Daddy, why do you have to go? Can't I come? I don't want to be alone." the little Namine started to cry.

"Don't worry baby. We'll be back. We have to make sure you're safe and sound. We'll get rid of the monster." her mother said ruffling her hair before putting on some gloves.

She could feel her cheeks tug in to smiles. "Ok Mommy! I'll be waiting." she said looking up to the blonde woman. Her father set her on her bed and tucked her in. Good night. We'll see you in the morning."

Bright white and Namine was looking at the movie again. More flashing again. _Two?!_ she thought.

She was back in the same bed but it was light now. She was sitting propped up to the wall and crying."How can this happen? How could have they died? I said goodnight to them and they promised to be back." she said outloud. It seemed to have been the morning after. And her mood was she was sad.

Her memory self reached out to a hand mirror and peered to it. A little girl looked back. The same vision from yesterday. She threw the hand mirror to a wall and it shattered. "Daddy!! Mommy!!" she called out to the air. She looked at the sunstreams from the skylights and shouted once more.

Flash. Namine was back at the video, slumped at her seat. "Namine?" Roxas whispered. He was supporting her by the shoulders. "Hey, are you sick? Is it the movie?" he asked.

Namine looked to his shining eyes at the dark and debated in her head. _Should I tell him? No way. He would think I'm crazy. Seeing visions in my head. I'll lie._ she thought.

"Ohh..." she groaned. She was feeling queezy from the flick and the flashbacks.Her body always felt like it was being sucked to a hole in her heart. "It's the movie. I can't take it. Do you mind if we go outside?"

"No. Let's go. I don't want you to feel sick." He supported her by the waist and shouldered his bag. They made their way outside. He sat her at a bench outside and then went to a dispenser and bought a bottle of water.

Roxas ran back and gave it to her. She gratefully took big gulps and it helped her a bit. "Better?" he asked anxiously.

She finished the bottle and nodded. "Thanks. I think I was about to throw up."

Roxas grinned. "I hope I don't make you sick on our first date." He sat next to her and waited as she breathed slowly until the feeling went away. When she opened her eyes, he brightened up.

"Since the movie's not that good, how about we go rollerblading?" he asked pointing to the rentals area.

"Alright. I'll try something else that's a little less bloody." she said.

Roxas grinned and took her by the arm to a ticket booth. "Two sets." he said to the attendant. He gave the munny and the clerk handed a white set and a black set of a rollerblades with the safety equipment. Roxas took them and they walked to a bench.

"Do you know how to skate?" he said as he handed her the white set.

"Yeah. A little bit. Don't go to fast though please, I'll fall." she said as she strapped kneepads on.

"Of course, or else I'd leave you behind in my dust." he said cockily while putting on his blades. He finished putting on the gear in no time. He stood up and skated to the lockers to place his bag and her purse in one. Namine waited and he came back with a key dangling in his belt. "Ready?" he said holding out his hand. He seemed completely excited. Namine has seen it before but not too often. She got up too and raced past him.

"Catch me first!" she yelled around behind her shoulder. Namine could rollerblade fast, just no tricks. Roxas looked determined and sped up behind her.

He tried to stay behind a little bit, he was an expert and could have kept up with her. But she suprised him by suddenly being so fast. She skated to a plaza filled with people that was a sort of an obstacle course and maze. He sped up too trying to keep his eye on her.

She teased him sticking out her tongue and going around a corner. Roxas found himself having fun and went into a shortcut. The household always went here in break days so he knew the area well. He was in front of Namine after a few turns and she turned around and sped again. He growled and chased after her again. _She's good!_ he thought as he stopped short trying not to crash to a ten year old. He landed on his butt hard.

He opened his eyes to see Namine next to him crouching and giggling. She held out her hand and helped him up then sped away again. _Damn! How does she do that?!_ he thought enjoying the challenge. They kept on chasing for 10 more minutes, Roxas not being able to catch up to her no matter how fast he was because of the people and the obstacles. In a change of turns, he got up to 10 feet away from her with nothing in between.

Namine's eyes widened in suprise and tries to turn aroun but was cornered by a fountain and some plants. Roxas charged, sort of about to tackle her when she shifted to the right and he was going straight to the fountain. He was too fast to stop and _SPLASH!!_

Roxas was on his stomach with fish swimming on his arn tickling him. He looked up to her laughing at him and his face crumpled to a smile. While fish swam at the fountain, butterflies buzzed in his stomach as he saw her angelic smile. "Haha! You look so cute in there in the water." she said sitting at the fountains raised platform while just staring at him.

"Very clever. Can you help me up?" he asked after he fell slipping his arm on the water. He wasn't mad but he was heating up alright. Mentally kicking himself again for the embarassment when he was trying to impress her.

She held out her hand again and tugged at his weight to help him out of the slippery fountain. He was soaking wet except for his somehow dry head. "How do I get dry?" he asked her.

"Skate until you're dry." she said optimisticlly. Roxas squeezed his clothes letting the water out and she waited for him. "What, not speeding away?" he asked wryly. Namine shook her head and brushed off some leaves from his back. The shirt clung to his body.

_Wow. He has a really good build._ she thought as she saw the hidden abs and triceps at the white shirt. He shivered as a breeze blew by. "Stay under the sun." she advised as she glanced up on the midday sun. It was about 3:oo in the afternoon already.

"Hey, want some icecream?" he quiped. Namine tilted her head while squinting.

"Aren't you freezing?" she asked concerned if maybe he hit his head or was getting a fever. He shook his head and lead her to some parlors in a distance. "What flavor?"he asked. "Chocolate." she said. "One chocolate and one sea salt"he said handing out a bill.

The employee was an elderly man. He scooped them up to cones and handed them out. "Have a nice time you young couples." he said giving a toothy grin. He looked very much like a grandpa. Namine blushed again and Roxas almost dropped his wallet at the word.

"Thank you." Namine said politely as she took her cone and passed Roxas'. They skated away to the harbor where only one man was fishing. Both sat down at the edge dangling their legs above the waters.They enjoyed the icecream dripping to the ocean.

"So are you having fun?" Roxas asked.

"Mm-hm," Namine said. She paused hesitantly then asked "But why did you ask me out?"

Roxas looked suprised. "Huh? Well, I wanted to. It's just, I've been watching you at our classes and I always see you smile, and-and-and..." he stammered staring at the water. Namine held her breath waiting.

"You're a person that seems so right to me. And when I'm with you, when we we're partnered up at class, I'm happy and the simplest and cleanest thing I can say to explain is that I've been... having a crush at you." he admitted.

Namine took his hands into hers and stared right back to his eyes. "I've been having a crush at you too. But you always seemed so... so cool that you'd never notice me. It's really hard for me to say that i've been crushing at you too."

Roxas smiled and looked straight ahead, his voice shaking a bit. "So if we like each other, is it okay that you're my girlfriend? I'm not trying to take it fast but... um...uh."

"I'd like that. I've been crushing on you ever since you moved here, and I don't think it's too fast," she said. Then she leaned her head in to his shoulder and whispered "Boyfriend."

The only thing he did was wrap an arm around her shoulders. They ate their ice-creams quietly and happily. It was akward and peaceful at the same time, the butterflies frenzied sugar-high.

Five minutes later, Roxas straightened. "Do you wanna go skating again? Sorry, but I'm still freezing from the water."

Namine laughed and stood up. She helped him up and they skated to the plaza again holding hands.

"Wanna try catch me again?" she teased as Roxas shivered. A kid came from behind them and pushed Namine. "Aah!" she screamed as she started to fall. Her ice-cream fell off to the ground with her face about to follow. Typically, Roxas caught her and helped her up.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Want some of my ice-cream?"

Namine made a face. "Not really, I've tried one when I was at a party and it was too salty. I didn't try it since then."

"Well, try it again." he teased holding out his cone. Namine paused then took a cone and licked. She gritted her teeth at the flavor.

"Um. Salty, Roxas. Wait." Namine said as the flavor changed in her tongue. "Sweet. Really sweet. It tastes. good. Can I have some?"

Roxas laughed as he ruffled her hair. "How about we wait? Aren't you hungry? Time for lunch." Namine ducked her head as her stomach growled.

"Are we gonna go skating again after?"

"Do you want to? There's also rides and games here in the park."

"Ok. I wanna try them after lunch.''

"Besides, I might crash to another fountain." Namine rolled her eyes teasingly as she took his hand and they skated to the booth. Roxas finished the ice-cream while Namine took off her gear. Roxas started too and Namine took the key to the lockers.

"What number is our locker?"

"Thirteen-fourteen" **It's their organization numbers.**

She ran over to the lockers and got their stuff. By the time she came back, he gave the gear back to the booth. Then they walked to the food district not too far away.

"Is there chinese food?" Namine asked. Roxas went to a resturant he knew too well. "I always order my food from here." he said walking in to the 'Happy Dragon'.

Namine looked for seats on the outside balcony and Roxas ordered the food. After looking around, she found a secluded spot with an umbrella looking out to the ocean. "Hey there." Roxas greeted as he came with a tray laden with food and desserts.

Namine eyed the food. "Are you trying to make me guilty? You're spending so much money on me."

"Don't worry about it. 'I'm a scientist! Get out of the lab!' " Roxas said imitating Vexen. "Besides, I got a job." he said.

"Really? Doing what?" she asked as she got her plate.

"Um, security." he said quietly as he piled his plate with orange chicken.

"Should I ask?" Namine teased.

"If you did, I would lie." Roxas teased back. "Alright." she said resigned.

Roxas finished quickly then cleared a space in front of them. "Eat some desserts, okay?" he said as he got up before leaving. Namine was confused but she continued her meal. After finishing some stir-fried rice, she tried the banana sundae.

Roxas came back with a bowl and a water bottle. "What's that for?" Namine asked. After all, what are you gonna do with a bowl and bottle of water?

"No worries, just keep eating. We got school tomorrow so I thought I'd finish my painting today." he said as he took out a sketchpad and some paint tubes and brushes.

"Ok." Namine replied as she bit into a paopu fruit chunk. He poured some water in to the bowl and started. "Try to keep your head still. But keep eating."

Namine saluted soldier style. "Aye-aye" she joked. But she kept her head still as she ate slowly and stared at Roxas working.

_Wow. He's my boyfriend now. He's the best thing to have happen to me. I still can't believe it. The dedicated, cool, multi-talented, sweet guy is my boyfriend... I'm so happy. Something I'm admitting. Oh. _

"Namine?"

_Wha? Oh, ditz, he's talking to you. Pay attention! _she thought as she mentally slapped her own face.

"What's wrong with you? You're staring at the distance there." Roxas said smiling his all-charm smile that makes fans scream.

"Do you have a fever? You're a little red." he said as he placed a palm in her forehead. Namine blushed even more at his notice.

"Oh, I get it. You're blushing." Roxas said teasingly. She slapped his arm away playfully.

"Ow!" he replied. He reached out again. "Tilt your head to this side okay? It makes you look innocent as you eat. And I'll need that sunset, okay?"

Her skin tingled under his warm touch. She was extremely aware of him touching her. Namine tilted her head as his hands directed. He started to paint again for five minutes then he looked up and said "Okay, I'm done with that part. You can put your head back."

Namine untilted her head and finished up the sundae. She contented herself just looking at him work. The day got darker as he worked. It was like yesterday all over again, but instead, they're sitting at a table together, instead of seperate pillars.

_And no crazy uncles to interrupt too._ she thought. A janitor turned on the chinese lanterns all around. Roxas worked steadilly. Dip, paint, stroke, stroke, dip, paint, squeez tube, paint, stroke,stroke.

"There! I'm done." Roxas said. He put all his brushes into the water bowl. "Can I see?" Namine asked as she stood up trying to peek.

He swiftly turned it away from her. "No peeking! Besides, you know it's you!" he teased.

"Pleeeeeease?" Namine begged with a pout.

"Nope. I'm gonna go to the manager of the chinese resturant and ask if he could keep it to dry until we go back for it. He's a good friend. Then you can see it." He said as he blew on his artpad.

"Ok..." Namine pouted. He walked to the resturant and Namine cleaned up their table and dumped the food. She dug out on her wallet to give the tip and placed in Roxas' things in on his bag. After, she waited sitting playing with her golden key.

Roxas came back and looked really hyper. "Ready for the rides?" he asked. It was 6:45 already and Namine was full of energy. She jumped up and grabbed Roxas's arm to the rides section. "Yeah!!"

Roxas managed to get his bag before the two ran for a line in a rollercoaster.

They went to the rides untill midnight. Roxas pretended to throw up several times to gross out Namine and on her revenge, she would scare him at the haunted houses and confused him in the mirror house. At the booths, he won her a big polar bear at a rifle booth. Namine won him a 'twilight' cap at a darts booth. There was also a petting zoo and they went horseback-riding for a while. They bought a lot of pictures of them screaming at the roller coasters and at those photo booths too.

One photo booth was really popular with a crowd. So they checked it out and you could wear costumes for it. So a photo was them being wacky at moogle costumes, another was Roxas in a chocobo hat, another Namine was wearing a wedding veil and Roxas the bridegroom hat. After, was more rides that made them dizzy like spin-out and zipper.

By the time they came back to the chinese resturant, their throats were sore and raw, Namine being a little better since her voice had more stamina for singing. Roxas sounded like a donkey saying "Two water bottles please." The clerk gave them and they were a little better after the drinks. Namine sat on an empty table while Roxas picked up his painting again.

"Can I see now? Please?" Namine pleaded. Roxas smiled and handed her the sketch book. She looked eagerly and it suprised her a lot. For one, the background wasn't the sunset like she expected. Actually, it was her sitting in a crescent moon smiling and holding her golden key up. It was so beautiful and the stars were pale compared to the glow he gave her.

"Like it? I call it 'My lady of the moon'. It toook a lot of imagination but I think I'll get a decent grade." he said looking at her waiting for her reaction. She hugged the portrait to her chest and smiled up at him.

"It's wonderful. It's the nicest thing anyone has done for me." she carefully closed the sketchbook and handed it to Roxas. He placed it inside his bag not to crush his share of pictures.

He took Namine's hand and they started to walk to the exit gates. "C'mon, let's get you home. I don't want to put you in trouble if you fall asleep in class." he teased. Namine stopped rubbing her eyes and playfully punched him in the arm for the joke. "Uh-huh dreamboy."

They took the train (Roxas didn't want to call on Axel) and Namine wanted to. She slept on his shoulder while he stroked her hair the whole way. The polar bear sat next to Namine and wore Roxas' cap backwards. Half an hour later, they reached the station closest to Namine's house.

It was pouring when they got out. Namine rubbed her eyes sleepily as she woke up from the rain. "I'll buy some umbrellas." Roxas said as he and Namine walked to a booth nearby selling supplies. "Do you have two umbrellas?" he asked. The lady shook her head. "We only have one sir. Would you like to buy it?"

Roxas handed a bill and opened the big see-through umrella. Namine held it and Roxas was about to put away his wallet when he something caught his eye. "Can I get a paopu fruit too?" The lady handed it and he payed again. Namine seemed to be asleep on her feet as she held the umbrella.

Roxas led her gently by the elbow out of the station and to the rain. He held the umbrella while wrapping an arm around Namine's shoulder again. She sleepily walked as she held tight to her polar bear. The night was quiet as they walked for twenty minutes seeing by street lamp.

They eventually made it to her house. "Namine, wake up, we're at your house." Roxas said as he stroke her hair gently. They walked to the bench on her porch. Namine collapsed into it exhausted. Roxas took out the paopu fruit and unwrapped it. "Here," he said as he handed it to her.

The cool sweet-tangy taste woke her up completely. " A paopu fruit?" she asked as she inspected the fruit.

"Yeah. You know the legend, right? Let's share it." Roxas said. Namine smiled and handed it to Roxas and he bit into it too. They shared and finished the fruit and drank some water from their water bottles. "Well, you better go to sleep. I have to catch the train too. Good night Namine." Roxas said and gave her a swift kiss.

"Alarm clock. Where's my alarm clock? I need to wake up from the most wonderful dream ever." Namine whispered.

Roxas smiled and whispered "This isn't a dream, and I'm glad for that. Go to sleep. I'll pick you up tomorrow for school, okay?" He tucked a strand of Namine's hair and walked off to the rain.

He got as far as the end of the driveway when he suddenly ran back to her. "Um, I'll need that umbrella." he admitted, his hair driping wet.

She handed the umbrella gigling. "And I worked so hard to comb my hair straight too." he said as he picked at a strand of his dirty blond hair.

"It's okay, I like it the normal style anyway." Namine replied. He walked off again holding an umbrella and gave a wave to Namine before he turned and disappeared from view. Namine waved back then got her house keys out and went inside.

She turned on the kitchen lights and saw a note from her parents.

_Namine, sorry baby, but it was a sudden notice and your _

_dad and I have to go to a business trip. Please always lock_

_up the house and cook healthy food for yourself, ok? Do your_

_homework and don't sleep too late. We'll be back in two days,_

_good. We love you. _

_Mom and Dad._

Another business trip. Namine wasn't mad, this was normal. And she was too sleepy to feel too much emotions. Oh well. She went upstairs to her room and changed to a white pajamas and crept to her bed. She hugged her newly-won polar bear and smiled at the thought of seeing Roxas again tomorrow morning.

_"Yappari, I want to be with you." _she sang before falling asleep.

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"You do know she's fake? Her emotions, memories, everything. She isn't real." Zexion said quietly to Roxas.

"She is to me. And she will be soon enough."

End of Chapter 6, Sunday.

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

So how was it? It was particularly hard for me to write because I've never written fluff before. But I think it's pretty sweet. I've been typing for 5 hours straight as I'm typing this. I didn't lock myself to a white room just to focus, but I had to try _really _hard not to be lazy. I think my efforts show, right savvys? Sore fingers.

I had to use Utada's songs, they're awesome! "After all, I want to be with you." It has to be included to add the cherry on this scene. Um, here are the things that people should wonder about this story before I reveal the plot:

1) Like MiracleXLight (I mention you! Yay! Sorry, Sugar-high Yuffie visited me a while ago!) asked, why does the gang knows Namine?

2) What's Roxas trying to cover up with his 'medicine' (air quotes) excuses?

3) Who is master? There's several characters from KH that can fit the role.

4) Why's Namine remembering.

5) Who was on the phone going "Hey cousin. No, I'm helping with the plan."

6) The most IMPORTANT!!! When is Axel gonna ask Larxene out?! Nah, just kidding. This doesn't really count.

6) The real one. What is Zexion saying?

SUGAR HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SUGAR HIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK, I'M DONE SHOUTING!!!!!!!!!

Wait, caps lock on. Ok, press the little purple button. Review please! The more, the merrier, I always say. And when I'm merrier, I'll update faster!

Well, you don't have to think about that, but I'm just pointing it out. Axel, say bye for me.

Axel: (grumbling) Bye!

Me: Why are you so mad?

Axel: What do you think? I got hit by my friend, my girl, arrows, and a sitar!

Me: Whatever. Here, have a brick! (throws it at the red head in the head).

Axel: OWWW!!!!

Me: Show's done! Bye-yee! Sugar!

Sora, Let's go have sugar! Whee! (Runs off with Sora to the sugar factory).


	7. Test Drive

Nope. Nothing to say today. Except for please read my friend Fae-Titan's story of Organization's Members, Maid, and Mayhem. I really wish I could read all these stories, but I don't have a lot of time. Last night, I even tried to stay up all night. I think I blacked out at 3:30 in the morning. Sigh. Short one today. And Valkirie Missile, Namine didn't eat Nina, she's good on making salsa so for the story, she made a salsa company.

Sora, you're still sugar effected, do the disclaimer please.

Sora: If-Sqeenix-ever-tries-to-sue-they-can't-because-Jessica-is-disclaiming-that-she-owns-or-is-trying-to-steal-anything-and-she-would-like-it-if-people-reviewed-so-please-do-and-any-flames-will-immediately-be-drowned-down-by-ice-and-she-won't-even-need-Vexen's-help-at-all-and-Arisa-Aihara-had-cleverly-and-kindly-commented-this-and-let-this-authoress-know-she-was-being-so-stupid-for-being-afraid-of-flames-even-though-she's-an-aries-and-is-a-sign-of-the-sun-and-is-quite-sarcastic-herself. **Takes deep breath.Then faints.**

Me:I'm too tired to even be mad.jf bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

Woops. I fell asleep on my keyboard. Hokay, Chapter 7: Test Drive

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Namine jumped skipped down her porch happily and twirled her housekeys in her hand before stowing it away. She looked up to Roxas' yawning face and grinned. "Morning sleepy head!"

Roxas' face scrunched up as he yawned again. "Huhra? Ready?"

Namine nodded and Roxas opened up the door to the backseat and he climbed in after. Larxene was in the front seat, Axel the other person on the back with Roxas and Namine. Zexion was the one driving. "Is this your car?" Namine asked.

Namine saw Zexion smirk that smirk of his (Nina loves him). "Yes, Enzo Ferrari, imported from Italy." Now Namine saw Larxene roll her eyes.

"Your not the only one with a ferrari, Zexy. And practically all our cars are from Italy." she said. Roxas and Axel sniggered as Zexion frowned. **Go to Wikipedia and look it up, it's really rocking! I know it's not enviromentally friendly, but it looks awesome. I have wiritten down most of their cars too.**

"Where's Demyx?" Namine asked finally noticing that a male is missing. "Hm? Oh, Demyx is going to the music store first to get his sitar fixed." Larxene replied.

"Yeah, because it has a dent the size of my head, because it did hit my head! He still hasn't apologized for hitting me, and neither had all of you!" Axel said crossed.

"What car does he have?" Namine asked interested.

"A shiny ocean-blue Lamborghini Gallardo." Roxas said.

"Okay, I'm not asking anymore since I'm not a car addict." Namine said after giving up trying to imagine the awesome car that you should look up too.

"You think they're being annoying? They're like a pack of wolves barking mad when we're at a carshow. Luxord just got his, and they took six hours choosing." Larxene replied. Evidently, she has seen many strategy sessions on cars.

Namine leaned on Roxas' shoulder, becoming a habit. "What car are you getting then?" she asked Roxas.

Axel answered instead. " He has a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiarono, black coats."

Namine leaned away and squinted at Roxas. "You have a car now? When you can't even drive?"

Roxas shook his head violently and said "No, Axel means, that's the type of car I would like to have."

Namine leaned back and Roxas smacked Axel on the head behind her. They argued quietly the whole way while the two girls chatted about boys being immature, Namine occasionally defending Roxas, while Zexion sometimes added his two cents or laughed at an insult directed to Axel.

They arrived at the school parking lot, Zexion parking as smooth as the smoothest thing you can think of, and if not, silk. When they walked to the entrance, students all around stared, a quarter jealously, the girls seeing the new addition to the Regals group, Namine. The boys looked wistfully, seeing that they lost their chance for Namine. The Oblivions kept walking, but Namine felt like she was being X-Rayed just because she was holding hands with Roxas. They past by the tree, and Namine looked at Roxas silently asking if they could hang out there instead. Roxas nodded and they all sat down.

Olette raised an eyebrow, Riku looked as if he was thinking of a plan to flirt succesfully with Larxene **OOC, I'm well aware of, **Kairi started whispering like a hummingbird with Yuna and Selphie, Sora shrugged it off and started talking to Zexion and Roxas about cars.

The girls soon grabbed Namine by the shoulders and literally dragged her on the other side of the tree. The boys were alarmed, especially Sora when Kairi glared at him. "Spit it out! What did you do this weekend and how did you and Roxas get together?"

Namine rubbed her knees where they were dragged at in the grass. " Kairi must have already spread out that I went to his house?" Namine asked dully. The rest of the girls including Rikku, Paine, Yuffie, and Olette nodded rapidly.

"Well, yesterday, he asked me out, Kairi was there when he did, and helped me to-"

"Helped you?! I did everything for you!" Kairi interrupted.

"Ok, she did, I was in a slight shock then that's why."

"Annnnnnnnnnnnndddd????" Rikku stretched.

"We went to Twilight Town's theme park, the Constesllation Park. Last night, he asked me to be his girlfriend." Namine said.

"Isn't that a little too fast?" Olette asked worriedly.

Namine blinked. "Well...yes. But I feel like I know him, and I trust him." she admitted.

Selphie hugged her, well choking her, and squeeled " Oh! That is so cute!! You finally got a boyfriend! I was starting to think I'd have to hookup you and Riku!!"

Namine broke away and glared at Selphie. "What the heck?! You were gonna set up me and Riku? That's not possible sane!"

Paine ruffled Namine's hair and said "Relax. She won't do that anymore, since your with Charming. We're not gonna argue with him unless he starts singing 'I'm too sexy for my shirt' like in that movie, Shrek 2."

As if on cue, some one started singing the song rambunciouslly. "I'm, too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt that it hurts! I'm a model, ya know what I mean? And I shake my little tush **LOL** on the cat walk!" Hayner sang. The girls glanced around the tree and saw Hayner prancing, wearing Riku's jacket and seem to be doing an imitation of him. Larxene was laughing and Axel was inching closer to her.

Olette walked over and jerked Hayner by the collar. Hayner bended backwards and glared with his big brown eyes on Olette's lime one's. "What was that for?!"

"Give Riku's jacket back! I don't want to see you dead before lunch! " Olette said and jerking the jacket straight off of Hayner. She handed it back to Riku who just took it lazily as if nothing happened. He muttered a thanks and stood up walking to the fountains where a group of girls were.

"He's too much of a flirt." Sora volunteered. Roxas nodded and Namine walked to him and leaned against his back, starting to draw. The rest of the girls went in front of her in a semi-circle. Larxene was talking about how it was in her classes and having to prepare for college, Rikku and Selphie interrupting with questions. Yuffie also offered some of her advice, being a year younger than Larxene.

Around being in deep conversations about nasty college proffesors, Demyx walked in playing his sitar, Hikari, in his own version. You know what I mean.

"Hey Dem. What took you so long?" Axel asked while loosening his light blue tie that brightly contrasted with his red hair.

"The dent was really deep, took a while to punch it all out." he said.** Umm... I don't know what I'm talking about, I just know electric guitars can get dented, I think. **

"You still didn't apologize for hitting me, ya know?" Axel said glaring his cat eyes to Demyx.

"Not gonna. You were being so stupid taunting Roxas at a time like that." Demyx said sitting down next to Olette and Hayner.

But the bell rang before Demyx had the chance to put grass stains on his uniform.

"Ok, let's all get going." Zexion said. Roxas took Namine's hand and the whole group walked to their homerooms. Namine and Roxas sat on seats in a corner of the class. More people gawked at their joined hands.

"It's not polite to stare" Roxas said to a gaping Chrysalline. Namine remembered that this was the type of chill he emnated that made her wary of her crush before. She shook it off and reminded herself of the great date they had just yesterday.

Kairi giggled as she sat on Namine's other side. The rest of the classes went by similarly. Many girls were nice enough to congratulate Namine, and many more were asking how they got together. Sometimes Kairi would cut in, sometimes Roxas would say that he was the one to ask her out. He remained his prince-state during the classes, granting smiles, but quite silent. Namine was still glad that they held hands though.

When lunch finally came, his cold exterior melted away and he was joking with the guys like a normal guy. She was happier, when he took her hand and snuck her out of the cafeteria in the middle of it (which was miraculous since many would have stared but the principal was having an announcement on stage).

They ran excitedly, Roxas leading, to the fountains, them laughing as they rushed through the empty halls. When he lifted her to a bench by the fountains, Namine stopped giggling so that Roxas could speak. His grin grew bigger as he took out something from his pocket. A small golden box, and picked up a pair of silver, slim rings. It had no jewels, no carvings, plain and simple.

"To make it official." Roxas said slipping in the smaller one on Namine's wedding finger. He put on the bigger one on his. "It's not very fancy, but that's the best they have in the jewelry store."

Namine gave him a kiss on the cheek. "This is too fancy already. And what do you mean this is all they had? Did you go to a jewelry store early in the morning? I hope you didn't have to wake up too early just for me."

"Oh, I didn't wake up early. I went to one on my way home last night." he boasted.

"What jewelry store stays open untill two in the morning?" Namine asked doubtfully.

"The '_We stay open till two in the morning_' jewerlry shop." he said grinning.

Namine sqeeazed his hand and gave a kiss again. "Haha. Very funny. Really, why would you do that?"

"I was exhilarated and my train just happened to stop at the shop district. And you wouldn't get off my mind, so I had to get something for you."

Namine got up and shoved him off the bench. "Let's go, brag-boy." she said taking his hand. They walked back to the cafeteria and the group made a fuss about the new rings. Olette even said that the ring Hayner gave looked like a ring-pop compared to Namine's, the boys teasing Hayner that his girlfriend was unsatisfied. A little after, Selphie held a planning session, getting opinions about if she should go for a guy named Irvine. Rikku, Yufie, Namine, Kairi, and Yuna supported her, thinking already about how to 'bump' into him.

The guys, mainly Riku and Sora offered their advice about how that would be cheesy and just ask him out. They just went on circles as the bell rang. The school day ended soon, and Zexion was driving them back, Namine's house the first stop (well, the rest live on the same mansion).

Roxas walked Namine to her porch and kissed her good-bye. "Same routine tomorrow again. Bye, girlfriend." He said. Namine smiled at this and entered her empty house. She rushed to her balcony and waved bye to the Oblivions.

Roxas waved back, Demyx and Axel being more energetic. when they left, she held the silver ring up to the sunlinght and it glinted prettily.

"It's amazing how three days can change my life." she said to herself. She picked up her bag and her cell-phone to chat with Kairi while she did her homework.

Well, that was short to decent length. I had to rush this in, the next chapter might be even shorter. -shrugs-

But it will be a turning point. And I give truckloads of cookies to you who reviewed!!!! o , they're like, married, with those rings! Maybe she will marry him, in the end of this story? HAHAHAHAHA!!!! You can wonder if that's a sneak peek or not. Bye!! and press that little purple button saying review!

Lylacs -Rioxane12-


	8. Relapse

Chapter 8: Relapse. This one'll be a little confusing, I apologize. And please read Pixie Riordan's story Paopu Cake, it's really good! Riku centric and cute!! And personal thanks to...

-Pixie Riordan- -Hi buddy!

-Sky Stroll It's nice chatting to you!

-White Simplicity- - Hope summer school is tolerable!

-MiracleXofXLight I'm so glad you like the fluff, but I suck at it, hehe.

-ILOVEAnime65- -Your comments are fun to read, I'll read your story shortly after this update!

-Naturalflowerbloomer Hi! Hi! See ya at school!

-SnowyLeopard- -U rock hard!!!!

-DemonDragonAngel You saw Sora?! Tell me! I gotta go to him for his autograph!

-ValkirieMissile- -Oh me god, thank you for the DA help!

-FaeTitan Axel's so lovable, huh?

-ArisaAihara- -Thanks! You cheered me up considerably in my trauma moments

-Kai Lun an Thanks for the review, Saix is quite scary, huh?

-Lebrezie91210- -Your suggestions are great, I took one of them! Are you really doing that vampire story of your own?

-Flaming Assasin Yeah, it has been a while, and the new interview is so funny!

-SliferHeart- - Kewl back to you!

-XxHeiXFengxX The box is crucial to the plot. And by the way... HI! HI!

I was so happy to read all your reviews.So yeah, before I get conceited, here's the new chappie. Bye! And here's the cute trio to say the disclaimer!

Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz : She seriously doubts that Sqeenix would really chase her down to sue her, but just in case: Lorraine owns nothing except this idea of a story, and the characters belong to Squeenix, even Sora... and there she goes crying away about that fact...

Me: WTF? I'm so not crying!!

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"Uuurrrr..." Namine groaned. Her thoart felt as if it was shredded to conffetti. She shivered as she threw off her blankets and and cautiously placed a toe on her marble floor. She yelped instantly and retracted her foot to inside her covers. She could have sworn that lightning had surged up her toes. As it went back to the normal feeling, she realized that the floor was just ice cold to her. Usually, the floor was a little warmer.

Is it snowing outside? She looked outside and sunshine peeked out from the curtains. Nope. No snowing. But her blankets were flaring with heat. She rummaged for her slippers from under the bed that she often didn't use. After slipping them on, she rummaged in the drawers for a thermometer. She found a spongebob printed one (squee! I have one!) and popped it in to her mouth. She watched as the numbers rise in the tiny screen. 98, 99, 100, 103, 105, 105.5.

Yikes. She might need to go to the hospital. And then they would ask akward questions. Yup, she doesn't like that. She'll stay in bed instead. It must have been from the rain in Sunday. Namine groaned as she walked to her bathrobe and slip it on. She checked the face of her digital clock. It was 4 in the morning. Fevers were always the worse.

She feebly walked downstairs to the kitchen and drank a glass of water. She was so looking forward to going to school with Roxas and now she had to stay at home. She decided to call her parents.

"Mom? Is it okay if I stay home?" she asked whe her mom picked up her buisness phone. "Honey? You sound terrible? Are you sick?"

"Yes. I think I got a fever from the rain at Sunday. And I'm not pretending." she croaked to her mom.

"I know sweetpea. You haven't tried to get out of school yet. Well, you know the basics. Stay in bed, plenty of fluids, warm soup and rest. Whats your temperture?"

"101..." Namine lied. She knew that her mom would freak out if she said 105.

"Ok, well, you should get better soon. Keep a cool cloth on your forehead so you can get back to school."

"Mm-kay, bye mom. Just wanted to tell you."

"Bye sweetheart. And Dad says hi." Namine could hear her Dad shouting "Hi honey!" from the background. He was a bit like Sora sometimes. Namine chuckled and said bye then hung up.

She flopped to her couch exhausted. Her body was so painful because of the heat. She sipped some more water and watched tv listlessly, falling asleep then waking up again as the light outside got brighter. And before she knew it, it was 7:30 and someone rang the doorbell.

When she opened the door, she was suprised to see Larxene at the door. "Hey..." she trailed off as she saw Namine's appearance. "Interesting choice of school aparell. You look sick, are you going to school?" she asked.

"Uugh. No. I have a bad fever. Hundred-five. And sore throat." Namine replied hoarsely. Larxene winced.

"Okay. I'll go tell Roxas. The only reason he didn't come here himself is that he's not presentable (she rolled her eyes) enough for you. He just spilled coffee on himself and he's all pompous." She walked off the porch to Zexion's enzo.

Namine shivered slightly in the chilly wind as Roxas came out of the car. He was wearing a rather big brown stain on his chest and still foaming. He ran up to the steps with a worried look on his face. "Namine, Larxene said your sick. Where does it hurt?"

Namine smiled weakly. "I'm not injured, just fevered.But it's hard to walk around with the headache."

Roxas nodded as if comproming something. He signalled 5 minutes to Zexion and Zexion nodded back. Before she could have guessed, Roxas picked her up wedding style and started to march up the stairs. Namine flustered and tried to fight him off. He caught her hand on his neck and her heart thumped painfully against her ribcage as he said, "You need it. Your own hand is burned.You can't walk around alone like this. You need someone to take care of you. Where's your parents?"

"At buisness trips."

"Both? So you're alone?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, I'll stay. Where's your bedroom?"

"What?! You can't skip for because of me!"

"Bedroom?"

"The end of the hall.But what are you doing?"

"Relax. I'm just gonna help you out. I don't want you to faint on your own porch when I'm away. I think it's a great idea if I stay here to look after you. A lot of girls would like that. Why not you?" he said as he set her down on her bed. He had held her hand the whole time somehow.

Namine scrunched her eyes shut and faced away from him. "_Yeah._ That's why you shouldn't stay. Because your fanclub would go rabid if they don't see you. Just go to Chrysalline. She's _begging_ to be in your arms."

Namine felt cool lips kiss her. "But she's not my girlfriend." he said as he tucked blankets around her. Namine's cheeks burned more, if that was possible, and looked up again frowning. "You don't have to tuck me in."

"I do it all the time."

"To who?" Namine asked curiously.

Roxas blinked twice his big, blue eyes. "Um, to my little sister."

"You have a little sister? What's her name?"

"I'll inrtoduce her to you soon."

"Soon?" she echoed.

"I think very soon. It depends on you."

"Depends on me, how?"

"Your fever. Now enough questions, where can I get a small towel, the bathroom and can I use your kitchen?" Fair enough, she couldn't go to someone's house sick.

"The bathrooms next door, there's loads of towels there, and sure..." Namine said suspiciously to Roxas. He abruptly left and she could hear him running down the stairs. Pots and pans clattering through the ceiling, water running. Two minutes later, he was bounding up the stairs again. Now his footsteps echoed to the direction of the bathroom. Now it was cabinets opening and closing, water, a bowl getting filled.

He walked in again to her bedroom holding a tray, two bowls, food, and medicine balanced on top of them. He set them down to the table in front of the vanity mirror. "Okay. I've got you breakfast, which are toast and marmalade, some eggs, hot tea, and I also made chicken soup. What do you want to eat? " he asked as he showed the food.

"I'm not really hungry. I think I'll eat them later. I'm just gonna sleep." she said nervously. Would he get mad that he cooked so quickly and she's refusing the food? He set it down and started wringing a towel from the second bowl.

"I'm not mad," Roxas said as if he read her mind, "but it'd be nice to know this doesn't go cold. Eat up later, and since you're sleeping, put this cool cloth on your forehead." he said as he balanced it on top of her forehead. He placed plates on top of the food to keep it warm and dried his hands on his shirt.

"When it gets warm, just change it. Do need anything that I can get you?" he asked expectantly.

"Just my sketchpad. It's in the marble table." she replied. Roxas moved the book to the vanity table with a handful of sharpened pencils.

"Hey, you still have the rose I gave you." he said as he stroked the flower fondly. Namine was slightly bothered that Roxas still needed to explain a few things from the night she received the rose.

Outside, the car beeped impatiently. "Gotta go. I'll come here as soon as I can to check up. Don't strain yourself, and I think I should do the dishes too. Just try to sweat it out, and you'll be out again." he said smiling. He kissed her cheek again and squeezed her hands.

"Lock the door." she reminded. He nodded and strode out her door closing it gently. She could hear him run down the stairs, out the front door, the door closing. The car beeped again to indicate saying bye and she heard the enzo ferrari speed off. Namine pressed the cloth to her forehead and the fever had been forcing sleep since she woke up and now, she accepted it.

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"What took you so long? You were sweet-talking her, weren't you?" Demyx whined.

"Like how Marluxia does to his plants to grow faster?" Larxene quipped and the boys snorted laughter.

"And how Axel loved that campfire so much that he was willing to hug it then get engulfed with flames during summer?" Zexion added. Demyx, Roxas and Larxene snickered while Axel growled threats.

But Roxas stopped abruptly. "Cut it out. I wasn't sweet talking her. Just taking care of her. That fever scared me when I felt it. I really wanted to rush her to the doctors."

Demyx and Larxene also got serious. "Zexion, that fever was like a 106 degrees. Namine said that it was 105, and steadily going up, so is it going to be worse?"

There was a pause while Zexion thought. "No... I think it already hit its peak."

"So will that count?" Larxene pressed on.

"It _is_ life-threatening. So I suppose it counts." Zexion said cautiously.

"Well, I did say soon to her." Roxas said.

"Should Master know?" Axel asked outloud.

"Not yet, I think." Roxas replied.

"But either ways, she'll remember." Axel pointed out.

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Namine woke up sweating and the cloth was off her forehead and on top of her knees. She had been tossing and turning uncomfortably and was having the strangest dreams. She saw red eyes turning to red roses that turned to silver. Then they would turn to the moon, show a wolf howling to it, then turn to Saix biting and snapping. His wild face would turn to Larxene, then Kairi, then Sora, and it would morph to Roxas, and he would be smiling with his hands stretched out. When she ran to his arms, he would turn to a dark shadow, then engulf her, strangling her...

She wriggled out of the blankets and tried to focus her eyes on the face of the clock. It was blurry since the blood was rushing down her head. A hazy 8:00 cleared and Namine felt like retching. She was sleeping for an hour and she was still exhausted.

She reached for her thermometer and read her temperture. 104.5. At least it went down by a degree. Her hands grabbed a glass of water that Roxas had included. She saw the plate of food and felt guilty about turning it away. She lifted off the cover off the plates and started eating the eggs. It was still warm and tasted perfect. She finished it up and started slurping the soup.

Namine started to slow down as she chewed on her toast. Her thoughts had drifted to Roxas. In her dreams, he looked so threatening. Fangs bared and glowing gaze before turning to yellow as his skin became pitch black and the creature sprouted antennaes.

The blond girl shook it off, which in turn made the head-ache worse. _I'm going delirious. It's the stupid fever. Roxas is the nicest guy in ever. He's protected me!_ she thought.

_Yes, but isn't it peculiar that he has these amazing abilities? _a small sly voice in her head said.

_Whatever! He's an athlete, that's all. _she argued.

_And secretive. He hasn't told you much... _the sly tossed back.

_We've only met, we're still trying to get to know each other! And what kind of voice are you anyway?! My concience or the crazy? And no matter what, I'm saying bye! _ The fevered girl yelled back. She abruptly turned her thoughts off and kept eating her breakfast.

She made a grab for the sketchbook and paused to think. _Now what should I draw? I haven't done this in a while. Maybe a love scene? Yeah! A boy and a girl in the beach! _ she thought happily. She let her hands do the familiar phase drawing the skeletons of the boy and a girl. From then on, she kept drawing on her whim. The boy had spiky hair and the girl had shoulder-length hair. Both were blond and the boy was trying to reach out for her.

And her hands kept going. They drew devil wings on the boy's back, and he was wearing a black cloak. The girl was given angel wings and a white dress. The boy was being raised to the clouds while the girl was stretching her fingers in the attempt to grasp the boy's.

Namine stopped, and pushed the paperbook away and closed her eyes. Her heartbeat was increasing speed, as if her body was again trying to tell her something. _Think about the picture._ the voice that was just pushed away said.

_Ok, Concience.What am I suppose to think about? _she politely asked it.

_It's trying to tell you something!_ it advised.

_Oh really? Like I'm gonna see heaven creatures and devil underlings? _Namine said sarcasticlly.

_No, but you might be close. Why don't you go ask Guilt? No, his brother-in-law. The True Memory of the Heart? _it said as sarcasticlly, with a hint of frustration.

_Aren't you suppose to be helping me get to the point, not try to get me more confused?! Arrgh... I'll think about the picture already, let me think! _the blond argued back. It didn't return and Namine did as the voice dictated. She held up the picture again and stared hard, as if trying to find a clue saying "Hi! I'm Clue! I'm here to help you with all your questions!!"

It dawned on her that she drew herself and Roxas. But why would he have demon wings? Or whatever they were. They still looked sinister and dark. But Roxas rising to heaven? He could jump high, but not fly. Going to heaven meant death. Is Roxas dying?

She threw sketchpad to the foot of her bed and leaned against her bed heavily. _Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts! That's not gonna happen! It's not possible..._ she trailed off. Namine couldn't deny that she gets worried about her parents now and then, and about herself too, when she was alone...

_Nice, Concience. Now you have me freaking out! _she yelled at no-one mentally. _I'm going mental. I have to get better soon._ she thought to herself.

She dipped the washcloth on the cold water then wringed it before replacing it on her forehead. She layed under the blankets again to sweat out the fever and waited for sleep to hit her.

It didn't fail her. It seemed to have sprung in ambush after a few minutes. Soon she was walking in a black room perfectly fine and following a white light.

**XXXxxxxXXXXxXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXx**

The white light was a door and led her to the forest. The tall pines stretched upwards forever and as she walked, a mansion revealed itself. It was Roxas's house. She ran to it and when she reached the front gates, it turned to the kitchen that they had the food fight on. Xigbar was working on the sink. Namine aproched him. She seemed to be shrinking with every step until she was on a kindergardener's body.

Xigbar turned around and crouched down next to her with a crystal bowl full of a shining red liquid. "Hey, baby-Namine. How'd you get here? Where's your mommy, eh?" he asked tickling her.

Namine let out a giggle that wasn't hers. The girl figured it out. This was what Concience meant. She was watching the memories. But unlike the movies that she had seen, the perspective was out of her own body. She was just suprised that she could remember this far back.

The sliding doors opened and Demyx ran in frantically. "Xigbar! Have you seen Namine?! I swear, that kid can teleport! And Mistress is going to kill me if she gets injured!" he asked.

Xigbar chuckled with his surfer accent and picked up Namine. "Here. I think she's trying to run away. Did you drop her on her head?" he said handing her to Demyx.

"I did not! No-one's dropped her yet, she's gonna be a smart girl!" Demyx said holding up the little Namine and started spinning her whimsically.

He placed down the dizzy girl and looked over to the crystal bowl. "Hey, did you hunt today?" he asked the eye-patched man.

"You betcha," Xigbar said setting down a large kitchen knife. "At the forest. My snipers were begging to get used."

"Can I have some?" Demyx asked childishly.

"Go ahead, there's a lot," Xigbar said pouring the liquid to two glasses. He and Demyx toasted then drank deeply. Xigbar crouched next to Namine again and held the glass to her. "Do you want some? It's deer, really delicious. And Uncle Xiggy had so much fun getting it."

Namine let out a shriek. "No! That's gross! And daddy says I can't have that!" she said in the child voice.

Demyx set down his glass and raised her away from Xigbar. "Xig, don't scare her. And she's right, Master says she can't drink blood! She's human!"

"So? She's still part of us. We'll add two drops of this on water and she can have a taste!" Xigbar said.

"No! She's under my watch! I'm not getting into trouble, and remember when you were human, blood was gross to drink?" Demyx scolded.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Xigbar ranted surfer-ishly.

Demyx carried her off to the sliding doors to what Namine recognized as the doors to the grand hall. The hands carrying her got bigger and she was blubbering. She looked up and Demyx wasn't holding her anymore, but the big brawny man named Lexaeus. He was talking in a deep voice.

"What did I tell you? Don't play with the wolves." he said

"But they're so cute!" Namine said.

" Only when they're puppies. I know that you can get along with all the animals, but when they're mothers, they're bound to try to protect their cubs."

"Ok..." the child sniffled.

Lexeaues was walking to the sliding doors and she was back in the assorted rooms, and headed towards the dance, dance, revolution pads, hiding a big set of steel double doors, and behind that was stairs going down. Lexaeus carried Namine to a corridor and then to another room to what looked like a doctor's office.

He set the little girl on top of a metal table and said, "Hold out your arm so I can put in some gauze." and Lexaeus produced some bandages, cotton swabs, and a bottle of alcohol. The small girl did and the real Namine was shocked to see such a nasty wound on her arm. Why didn't she have a scar?

Lexaeus began dabbing at it with the alcohol and the child retracted her arm. "It hurts!" she whined.

"And the bite doesn't? It's going to to get worse if we don't take care of it. Now hold out your hand for the doctor."

The blond girl shook her head and sniffled no. "How about for Uncle Lexaeus? We can go annoy brother Axel later, if you want."

Namine felt her face muscles lift to a smile and held out her arm. The peaceful doctor finished and stuck a smiley face sticker on top of the cast-like thick wraps. "I want a mermaid too!" the child said pointing to another sticker on the sheet. Lexaeus obliged and gave it to her. The girl happily pressed it on her wrappings.

"And can I get a diamond?" little Namine asked. But now she wasn't sitting on a metal table. Her dream had morphed places to the game section, and she was raised by telephone books on a chair and was playing what looked like poker, with Axel, Demyx, Mr. Lance, and a man with blond hair and beard with mustache.

"Go give her one Luxord." Mr. Lance said.The man named Luxord passed a queen of diamonds to Namine.

"Ok, now show your cards." Luxord announced and the five players set down their cards to show. Demyx had a 3, 6,7, and a 10. Luxord though, had clearly won. Four aces and a king. **Ack, I'm sorry, but I don't know how to play poker. It's too complicated for me.**

"All right Gents and Lady. I win." Luxord said and reached across the table to haul... lollipops. He had a big mound in front of him full of sweets.

"That's not fair. I don't know how to play pokey-pokey." dream Namine protested.

"Now who would like another game? I daresay, this isn't enough to give the little lass cavities!" his voice said from behind the mound.

The blond child jumped up and down on top of the telephone books. "You're gonna give me the candy? Yay!!" she cheered. Mr. Lance left the table muttering and Demyx started fishing in his pockets for the sugar. Axel threw down his cards and stood up as well.

"Come now, chap. We won't have enough players! And don't you want to make our little miss happier?" Luxord waving his hands to Axel to sit down.

"She's gonna be crying later on after the tooth-ache. And that's more than enough card ass-kicking for today. Besides, I'm out of lollys. You know how much munny I've wasted buying those dentist nightmares and then give them to you so that you give it to her? I've lost count past one-thousand!" he said. **hehe, Axel spent so much when he could be buying chakrams...**

"But I share them with you!" the 5 year old pouted.

"True, now let's get to that sharing." Axel said lifting Namine then tucking her under his arm like a football then sweeping a handful of candy to his pocket.

"Let me down! Let me down! Luxy! Help me!" the small girl wailed while giggling. Luxord shook his head and waved good-bye. "No can do. See ya, mini-Mistress." he said in his british accent.

Axel lifted her to his shoulders and they walked out to the backyards. "Whee!!" Memory-Namine squeed. The real Namine couldn't help smiling to herself in her sleep. Back to the dream...

"That's right! Squee! What up, yo!!" A red head screamed as he jumped off the storage shed and landed on Axel's shoulders. Axel toppled backwards from the additional weight and Namine fell off Axel's shoulders. The real Namine tried to shut her eyes as her face hurtled to the ground but her dream self kep them wide open. Her nose touched the grass and hands circled her stomach pulling her up again.

"GUYS!! You almost dropped Nami!" Larxene said as she set girl down. Real Namine silently thanked Larxene that her face wasn't squashed presently. She kept on watching.

"Thanks, Larx. It's just that some idiot jumped on my back." Axel said muffled with his face buried by the intruder's back. . "Gerroff!" Axel snarled as he raised his face up and attempted to stand. The stranger did, and started dusting himself. Axel brushed at his T-shirt displaying drums.

Axel glanced to the new guy and his face lit up. "Reno! Long time no see buddy!" He said giving Reno a headlock and doing a knuckie so that when Reno was released, his spiky hair was practically standing up on end.

Then both raised their left elbows, knocked them together, then with the right ones, then twiddled fingers. After, they raised their hands to his hair and said "The men working the spiky hair!" then ran it through the locks. But two more spikys joined and was combing their hair unisonly.

"Reno! What are you doing here?!" Roxas asked.

"To beat up Cloud, naturally." Reno replied sliding his goggles up his hair.

"You want to have a fight? You know you're gonna lose!" Cloud said. Real Namine was glad for this portion, she hadn't seen her brother for a year already.

"Here you go. Play nice in front of her." Larxene said pushing gently Namine to the boys.

"But Larxene, can you go with her? We want to play football!" Cloud said.

"Nope. I'm gonna call Tifa to come over." Larxene said turning for the sliding doors.

"But this is a guy sport! We want to do real game!" Cloud begged.

"She's your little sister! And football isn't really a guy sport. I can play it too." Larxene replied dismissively.

"No, we gotta play this! Guys to guys!" Axel argued.

Larxene stuffed her cellphone back to a pocket looking crossed. "How about I go on a team? And I'm gonna have Namine with me too!"

The boys snorted." Which team will you go on?" the boys asked. Larxene smile coyly. "I'll make my own team. Let me just gather up my mates." she said marching in. A few minutes later, she came back with Namine's real mom and a teen dressed on denim pants and black tanktop.

Axel, Reno, and Roxas straitened up. "Hi Mom." Cloud and Namine said. "Good morning Mistress." the earlier three greeted.

"Ah, hello boys. Larxene said that you wanted to play a game." the blond woman replied smiling warmly.

"I didn't know you played football, Mom." Cloud said suprised. The mother smiled deviantly and said, "Oh, boys, you don't know how many times I've beated my husband no matter how hard he tried."

"You've kicked Master's ass in football?" Reno asked incredulosuly.

Namine's mom chuckled and whispered, "But keep that a secret between us. He gets so mad when I let it out."

The boys faced each-other and had traces of nervousness in their face. "But you don't have enough players on your team. We got four, and you have three." Roxas objected.

"Oh, my daughter can play." The mom waved her hand airily. The boys nodded uncertainly and they started the game. And guess what? Mistress was a power player and won the game. The girls had passed Namine shoulder to shoulder so quickly, and ran so fast, throwing unnaturally, even for a man. _My own family are not humans. They're like, beasts. _she thought as she watched the dream. To taunt, when they were about to make a touchdown, they would let Namine down with the ball and let her pass it. At first, the guys thought this would be an advantage, but they couldn't attack the sweet girl.

After the game, Namine was throwing footballs to her mom practicing. Her dream changed again and she was throwing a javelin. "Good. You're holding it right. Now launch." Mr. Lance said. Namine did and and as it landed to the ground, it turned to a lily. A man with pink-brown hair walked over to it and picked it up.

"Don't play with my flowers, Nam. Pick them for your mom, not for throwing." he scolded. Now she was in the garden. So this must be the famous Marluxia. _Why did it change so quickly?_ Real Namine asked and got her answer. She could feel her real body shifting, she was gonna wake up soon. It seemed to be tied to her dream. She tried to go back to the dream.

"Here, entertain yourself with these birds-of-paradise." Marluxia said handing over a long stemed flower that had orange and blue petals that looked like petals. "That's the flower of Hawaii."

Namine held it and the stem grew thicker. It turned blue and then she was holding Demyx's sitar. "You hold it in these places and then you strum." Real Namine felt her body relax and this part became longer. Demyx demonstrated holding it, then played the song "My Sitar." **(XD This song was made for Demyx!) **and singing along to it. Dream Namine clapped along then cheered at the end. They were now in a recording studio room, and it was full of instruments, from cello to xylaphone. She mussed that they were downstairs as Roxas had said in his tour.

Someone stomped down the stairs and slammed the door open. An irritant, late 30's, blond haired man appeared. "Demyx! Stop that racket! I'm a scientist! If you want more money for your hip clothes and roman cars, I suggest you quiet down!" he yelled grinding his teeth.

"Chill Vexen. Take a break. And it's not roman, it's italian cars. You need to have a vacation and-" Demyx said lazily

"And? Why do you really think that you can do anything you want just because you live here! And an immature teen! And then you don't give respect?! And!" the scientist ranted. The background blurred and melted away to be replaced by a library. Now she was sitting down on a desk with a pile of books and Vexen was teaching in front of her. "...And that's why 12 times 12 equals 144." he added.

"Now finish your homework, and then read some books." Vexen said wiping a blackboard clean. Little Namine grabbed a book with a picture of the moon and started reading the first page. When she looked up again, she was on a balcony with, Namine bit back a scream of terror, the man named Saix.

He pointed to the diagrams on the pages and started on the subject about how the planets can be so spectacular, and urging the child to look at through a telescope. At first, the real Namine was scared, but she found out that this memory Saix was nice. He named the brightest stars she asked him when pointing at the night sky. It seemed like an hour as she learned more about these stars from her childhood when the child looked down her book and it turned to a picture book. Now the person sitting across her was Zexion, and he tucked her in to a bed calmly.

Namine's heart constricted. It was the same room that she saw when she had a flashback at the movies. She saw the hand mirror mended, and her dream self had placed it to a bedside table glimpsing happily. This time, the reflection was younger, but she couldn't tell how many years. Actually, Namine didn't know if her age has been changing with each person or scene change.

Namine rested back on her bed as Zexion read 'The Wizard of Oz'. She heard the whole story again before Zexion closed the book then refilled a glass cup with water from a pitcher. But the one to hand the glass to her was Roxas. Then it impacted on the real Namine that this meant she met Roxas long before, if this dream was really memories. She waited anxiously as Roxas talked to her.

"How's my little sis doing?" he asked smiling watching her sip water. The child replied "Confused." in a small voice. _That just about sums it up." _Namine thought.

"About what?" Roxas asked as he took the glass from her when it was drained. Namine listened to what her child voice had to say.

"Well, I asked my daddy what we are, and he said I'm human. I already know that, because I know I'm different from everyone in the house. But what is daddy, and mommy, and everyone? I read some books and Saix always love the moon. So I thought we're werewolves..." she trailed off as she stared to Roxas listened patiently. "Are we?"

Roxas grinned and tapped a nail to a fang. "You're absolutely right."

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

A boy with jet black spiky hair and red highlights landed neatly on Namine's balcony. He walked to the giant window and peered through. Namine was still sleeping peacefully. He whipped out his cell phone and started to dial and he jumped back to the roof over her room and disappeared off sight.

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Kairi almost tripped trying catch up to her target. "Roxas! I've been trying to sneak a word to you all day but you keep vanishing." she said breathlessly when Roxas turned around. "Have you seen her? Namine? I mean, didn't you pick her up this morning. I've tried to call her cell, but it's dead."

"Don't worry. She only has a fever, so she had to skip school. Nothing serious." Roxas reassured.

"Thanks! I was so worried.Well, I'll see you around." Kairi said before walking off following Sora. Roxas nodded to her before walking to the lunchroom.

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Demyx was sitting on the fountain with his sitar practicing and Zexion was reading a book on his palm. Larxene strode in with cell-phone in hand. Axel was in tow balancing two luchtrays for her and him.

"I just got a call from Darx. He said that Namine is still sleeping and that her face didn't feel too heated. That confirms that she can take care of herself alright." Larxene said to the first two.

Zexion looked up from his book interested and Demyx stopped strumming. "Was she showing any signs...? Muttering, tossing and turning, or reaching out?"

Larxene shook her head. "No, all Darx said was that she was sleeping peacefully and quite still."

"Go tell Roxas?" Demyx asked getting up.

"Nah. Roxas doesn't need to get rushed. It's not like this is progress. She's just sleeping. That'd be real news." Axel said putting the trays down on the fountain ledges.

Zexion helped himself to an apple. " Axel's right. We'll tell him when we see him."

"Cookie!" Demyx said darting his hand to a chocolatechip cookie. Some passerbys looked over at the noise. Demyx just stuffed the cookie to his mouth and munched cheerfully.

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Dream Namine dropped her jaw then started to jump up and down giddily. "Yay! I was right! That's why I like wolfies!" she shouted.

Roxas laughed and caught her off midair then settled her back down on the bed. "Yes, very smart, but I was joking." he said. "You are?" the girl pouted. "Yes, sorry. But you're very smart. You tried to figure it out on your own and came very close."

Roxas sat himself on the stool next to the bed and started to stroke her hair. "No, we're not wolves. It's something a bit more...complex. Namine, we're-we're-we're..." Roxas looked pained to say it outloud. "...vampires."

The child frowned at that. "What's so bad about that?" she asked curiously.

"Namine, vampires live off of humans. Do you know that that's the risk you have about living with us? We've killed people, although not intentionally. We are stuck in these bodies. And all of us have sinned. And one day, we might kill you. Can you ever forgive us for that? For such impure crimes?" he asked seriously.

Namine felt herself smile kindly to Roxas. "I'll always forgive all of you. Daddy, Mommy, Cloud, you, Larxy, Zexy, Axy, Uncles Xiggy..." she trailed off. Roxas had hugged her. "Namine, you're the best child I've ever met. It was a miracle for us that you were born, in more ways than one." he said quietly.

"So are you happy again? I don't like to see you sad, brother Roxy." she said.

"Yeah.I'm okay now." he replied.

"Older-brother, you don't care if you're not really my brother, you still don't think I'm a-a-a... what did Axel say? Oh, yeah, a twirp?"

"He doesn't mean that. And I don't mind at all, as long as you don't care if I'm a vampire..." Roxas said. But his voice started to reverberate.

"Nope! Never!" her child voice responded and this echoed away too. The whole scene started to turn to smoke, blowing away to the black again.

**------------------------------------------------------**

Namine snapped sitting up so fast that she was left breathless. Or perhaps she had stopped breathing when she was with Roxas, and not romantically either. Sweat beaded in her forehead and she wiped them away with her hand shakily. "Larxene, Demyx, Axel, Zexion, Mom, Dad...my whole family are... Cloud too..." she muttered. She tried to think back on the dream and she remembered it as easily as if it was a normal memory. "Vampires... Roxas!!"

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Okay. There.

That's the crucial. And the box still needs to be exposed.

It wasn't easy cramming in all these people to her dream. And saying 'we might kill you someday' isn't the best before bed story. Summer's ending (pales). Yeep.

So just press the little button and review. Bye!

XxXx-Rioxane12-xXxX


	9. Explanations

Chapter 9-Explanations

Wow. I can' t believe this. Here I am stuck in summer school and typing out this chapter. I've been away for more than a year, deep apologies, I was never really gone, I still read some stories here in FF.. My explanation was I got stuck with this chapter 9. Completely froze. Then I got busy with school, and reading, and art, lots of drawing-- rioxane12., and thanks to Lily and Ashleigh-Marie, I'm also now a participant of Maplestory. But the biggest reason was that I got depressed that my story seems to be so close to the Twilight series. I mean, I had written at least 5 chapters before I read the book, then came vampire knight and and all these vampire stories... But it doesn't matter, I want to finish this, and I'll be getting a slap from ValkyrieMissle if I don't continue. Solution: Don't follow the chapter that froze me, just restart and firing it up!! o

Disclaimer: Seriously doubting squeenix will sue me, but in case, character designs belong to squeenix, personalities and plot belong to me.

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Namine opened her eyes slowly and looked up.

"Well, I don't know wheter to say you took your sweet time or that you figured out fourteen years

of your life in a few hours is amazing, but you're finally awake."

Namine sat up and saw a girl perched on top of her table, with a mischievious eyes but a kind smile.

"Excuse me, but how did you get in?" Namine asked.

"Through the door behind me." She said bluntly.

"Oh." Namine said dully.

"I'm guessing this is all still a shock to you?" She asked. The girl had black hair with purple highlighs tied up in a ponytail.

"Sort of."

"Ah, okay. Well, I'll leave you to sleep then. It was nice seeing you Namine." She said in a

singsongy voice.

The girl sprang off the table and walked out the door and then Namine couldn't see her anymore through the curtains.

Namine reached over to her night stand and stuck the thermometer to her mouth. A few seconds later, the thermometer beeped and the screen read 99.5. She was still warm, but wasn't as worse.

It was time for school.

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"Saix... here's some water. How are you doing?" Tifa placed a bowl of water tentitively next to a

man shackled to the floor. His clothes were tattered and stretched to a bad shape, and his sweat fell to the dirty stone floor. His hair was matted, his breath in pants.

"Tifa..." the man growled. "Why do I have to be the outsider?"

Tifa bit her lip. "You're not an outsider Saix. You embody both bloods, you should be proud."

"Proud?! Why would I ever be proud?! I almost killed the old master's daughter!! The prince trusted me by not locking me up so early! I'm the monster of all monsters!" Saix spat out. His words rang around the cell, reverberating the spite and anger in his voice.

Tifa cringed and lowered her eyes. "You're wrong... You're not the worst of us. And Xigbar came back yesterday. Here's the medicine." Tifa said and handed Saix a small vial full of pulsating, sludgy brown liquid.

Saix took it and chugged it down in one gulp. His eyes dimmed down, as if he was calming down, and the veins in his arm settled back inside his skin. His panting slowed to a rhythm.

Tifa wordlessly took out a ring of keys and started to unlock the shackles and typing in passkeys to release the slumped man.

"C'mon Saix. She's okay, and Lexaeus thinks we'll hold a meeting today to explain everything to her. We'll get you cleaned up, and prepared, ok?" Tifa said quietly.

"Thank you. And how is your mother?" Saix replied.

"She's doing fine." Tifa smiled and helped Saix up.

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A teenager in a baseball cap, ripped jeans, and grass stained shoes stared outside the window in her aisle. The afternoon sun bounced off the stray locks of bangs poking out from under the cap, and her face was empty of emotions. Her heart was pounding as she thought of what she'll say to her new group of friends. She didn't know if she would yell madly or freeze and choke up. She did know that she was going to confront them no matter what. But this was the scariest thing she'd ever have to do. Recitals, singing in front of crowds, going on Kairi's antics... they were all nothing compared to what she was about to do. Face her friends who are now, in her world, vampires.

She has to think of her safety too. He said that they might one day kill her. She might have to stay away from Roxas... That thought itself. It made her grit her teeth together and her hand twinged with physical pain.

She has to say what she thinks. Then she'll listen.

_What if they kill me because I know their secret?_

Well, that didn't matter. At least she got to see her real mom.

Wonderful and kind... "What happened to them?!" she thought.

The girl put her head on her hands and waited quietly for the train to make it to her school.

xxxx

"Namine!" "You're here!" "Where were you?" "Where's your uniform?" "Nam--" students all over said as Namine jogged around the school trying to find a Regal anywhere.

Namine spotted Demyx strumming at the fountain's ledge.

"Demyx!!" Namine yelled. She could feel that she will scream. His serene face triggered her

anger.

"Why didn't you tell me?! Huh? Anytime I WAS AT YOUR HOUSE!! You could have told me!"

Namine yelled.

Demyx watched her fearfully and then yelped when he was backing so far away from Namine's rampage that he slipped off the ledge and into the fountain.

"I DEMAND that you explain everything to me!!" Namine screamed. "And where is Ro--mmf!!"

Namine was cut off as a hand covered her mouth muffling her words. She tried to glare at her captor but his hand kept her head from moving.

"Namine. Please calm down. Demyx didn't do anything. Please don't yell." Larxene whispered.

Kids started to surround the fountain, spectating.

Zexion helped Demyx out and Axel loosened his grip when Namine stood still. "Where's Roxas?" Namine hissed.

"He checked out early today." Larxene replied.

"Why?" hissed Namine.

"He had to check on Saix..." Axel said quietly.

"I want to see him." Namine demanded.

"Okay, but please don't fight. We'll have to check out, then we can go to the mansion." Zexion said.

Namine consented but still glared at Axel. Axel simply looked away. Demyx took out his sweater from his bag and wiped away any water off his sitar then himself while Larxene ran to the office to get the passes.

When Larxene sprinted back with pink slips, they made their way to the parking lot. Roxas was waiting there as well as a black-spiky haired teenager with orange highlights.

Namine started to get scared, they were so solemn, but her anger hasn't burned out yet. _Answers, answers... _was all she could think about as Zexion drove through the lonely forest to the mansion.

When they got to the front, the same girl from this morning was twirling a silver chain on her her fingertips connected to a sword, sitting on the great front steps. She traipsed to the car and reported, "Everyone's at the dining room except for Master. They're all suprised at the earliness of her recovery, oh, and Vexen's freezing your chairs since he's angry."

Axel rolled his eyes they they all marched to the dining room where Demyx had spun her and Xigbar offered Namine a drink of blood.

All seven went to a seat automatically, Mr. Lance pulled a chair at one end out for her. Roxas was sitting to the right of the other end of the long table.

She watched in amazement as her six car pals used their powers. Axel snapped his fingers to conjure fire and used his forefinger like a blowtorch. Larxene took out what looked like a cross between a dart and a knife and lightning pulsated through her frost. Demyx touched it and it turned to water, then he used his hands to conduct the water to a flower vase. Zexion just stared at it, concentrating. Then it chunked away to a black hole, Lexaeus's chair tipping over towards the black hole. The black-haired boy's fingers trailed fire as he chopped at the ice then wiped it away. The girl used her sword to slice and stab at the ice so that it fell off.

Then at unison, all heads turned to Namine, thirteen pairs of eyes staring except for Roxas looking down with his mouth a firm line. The young girl swallowed, she was suddenly thrown into the spotlight.

A pink-brown haired man sitting to Larxene's left stood up.

"Ahem. I think we should start off with the introductions. You know about eleven of us, right?" he asked Namine.

Namine nodded, as if she was at school. "So the only two you'll need to know are Darx," he pointed at the black-haired boy, "and Rioxane." Now to the sword-chain girl. Rioxane gave a little wave and Namine waved hesitantly back.

Zexion spoke. "His thoughts are getting nearer. Master's coming." All shifted about and straightened their backs like ramrods.

"Master? As in father's successor?" Namine wondered.

And through the double doors strode in a stern, muscled, tan-skinned, gray-haired man. He seemed to have just returned from a trip. A black, long, leathery coat with a zipper running from collar to knee length. Matching black boots and gloves. His eyes were red, literally, at the pupils. He sat down on the other head across the polished table of Namine.

"Namine? This is Master Xemnas. He was your father's friend and now our head leader." Xigbar said.

Master Xemnas looked like he was in his mid-30's, but he could certainly hold up his own in a wrestling riot.

"Miss Mirage?" he asked, surveing her with his austere stare. "This meeting is called in concern for your being. I trust that you are currently unlocking your first life remnants?" Another nod. "Then we well help you in your inquirys. In great expectations, the deepest mysteries witll be solved to aid your troubled mind. Shall we commence?"

Namine just blinked.

Axel leaned forward to the table and put his head on his palm. "Master translations: Since you cracked your brain, we'll do Q & A's to hurt your noggin some more!"

Demyx elbowed Axel and his mouth shutted with a clapm. Roxas appeared by her right shoulder, and touched her arm. His warm touch fortified her and she found her voice.

"I know what he said. I was trying to come up with the questions I want." She played with her hands nervously. "Why are my memories or these visions coming to me?"

Nope. It was still hesitating, her tone, the question was shaky.

Larxene spoke up. "Your life had been threatened. Remember the night Saix-" He gave a curt nod, "-went wild the other night? You're life was in danger, because he could have killed you for your blood. Human instincts, any instincts, are raise yourself to the best defense. You shredded your human weakness, and part of the weakness is no knowledge, or fake memories. It was as natural for your body to do as it was to scream or cover your head and duck. You can kill yourself if you suddenly turn out empty, so the real ones came flooding so that you won't go into shock."

"But they were like... trickling out before that." Namine said.

Vexen looked puzzled then spoke out. "It must have been the close proximity of the six vampires that are near you at school. You are attuned to our existance ever since your birth, so subconciously, your mind was trying to tell you to contact us. We thought that the six being near by to protect you wouldn't affect you, but it did."

Woah. That sounded weird.

"Okay. Um... next question... How did it disappear in the first place?"

This time Zexion spoke. "That would be mine to answer. As what you would call us a vampire, we're really more like gifted humans and our sustenance is blood. My gift is to detect presence through their scents. A super sensitive nose, and the other is pretty much anything mind-related.

Reading it, hear it, wipe it clean. So I was the one to hide your memory. And the only place was your own being, so you were able to snatch it back easily."

Namine's eyes crinkled as the information angered her. "But why do it?!"

Xaldin spoke sternly. "It was for you. You were in great danger, and almost died. As a young child, you can go insane or frightened senseless by the experience. We did it to preserve your sanity, and to protect you."

"As if finding it all out later isn't going to make me lose my sanity." Namine thought. She changed the subject.

"Who were my parents?"

Everyone's faces softened. "Katelyn and Darius Garnet." Lexaeus spoke on his deep voice. "The best and the kindest that there was of our species. Katelyn Trinity had the power to see the future at will and used the cosmos for assistance in combat. She'd make falling stars glitter the battle field." he said with a chuckle. "Darius Garnet was gallant and dedicate to helping our kind and the humans. His power was pure energy and chi directed by a crazy-humoungous sword. He passed it on to your brother. By the way, it looks like a giant kitchen-knife."

Smiles broke out in reminescense. And the daughter was already remembering the few times she witnessed her parents. She remembers now. They were wonderful. But she won't be able to see them again.

"They were the old Master and Mistress?" she inquired.

"Yes." Luxord says. "The Master and Mistress can only rule if they are the most powerful of our kind in their region. There's only two kingdom regions, the North East and South West. A real honor, and they must have a sense of leadership, direction, and as cliched as it sounds, justice, so that they are proper leaders. There aren't any ruling royal vampires, but that's as close as you can get."

"How do you rank in the vampire world?" Namine followed.

"Good question. It's quite barberic and crude," Marluxia said. "If you wish for the title and role, you must challenge the Master in a duel with your weapons, one on one. Fools won't dare to they'd be too weak in knowledge and be in complete mercy of the master. Usually, they only challenge the master of their region, but they could go to the other side. The disadvantage is that they won't know the surroundings, which can be a request for instant death, and if they don't know the rules of the region. The fight can take everywhere and anytime so both have to be prepared. Know your place and the rules."

"Rules...?"

"Yes. Customs. It's customary in our world to resist the human blood like how our bodies dictate us, we instead go for animal. We're what you'd say England, trying to be proper, but we fight when we need to. The South-West is more eager to fight, and are less careful with the secret. They enjoy the combat life, the more savage regioun. Each new master and mistress the North-east has, they get 7 more pairs than us." Xaldin said.

"Oh. Well, how does a vampire get stronger?"

"Ah. You see, that's how we can't insult them, and why we respect each other. When someone is still a human then turned 'vampire'" Larxene air-quoted, their strength increases the more 'good' someone is." She air-quoted again, almost sarcastic. Her face smoothened. "Though that's the tragic thing. It's because almost all of us are good people that we're strong. Most don't deserve to be cursed to live an eternity and leave their loved ones behind, not by distance, but in time. We are also very driven by thirst so staying with any humans make us fatal, and forces us to stay away from them. If any 'bad" people had been turned, well, they turn weak in this life. They also don't care if they drink the innocent, and if they wreak havoc, someone sensible has to kill them eventually."

"It wasn't the brightest future for anyone who was turned." Rioxane said.

"Especially in the 1600's to 1800's. A lot weren't as savage as humans. Humans were quite dangerous at the times with their austere or judgemental personalities and acted too harshly and quickly with executions and torture. At least we didin't make our victims suffer." Zexion said in a low volume.

Namine gasped and Roxas's hands held her shoulders to make sure she didn't fall over. She didn't faint.

"Sorry, that was too harsh." Zexion tried to save.

"No... it's okay, I understand. Like King Henry the fifth and all that."

"Hah. That man was ridiculous and deserved his death." Xemnas spoke for the first time after his questioning. "He just went through women like a pig. Then killed them just so he could get another. Any more questions?"

"Hm. That seems to be all. Wait, what are the differences with humans and vampires?"

Everybody grinned.

"It's a nice day. Let's go outside?" Roxas said as he offered his hand to Namine.

XxXxXxXxXx

When all of them were assembled outside, Demyx stepped forward into the middle of the huge circle.

"Ok. We're not exactly big bats that turn into humans during day. We're similar to humans. We have the same shapes and features after all. It's more like we are well prepared-- No." He shook his head at the wrong term. "We're more like beings created for hunting. We each are as strong as one hundred twenty men combined."

Axel walked to Larxene, lifted her to his arms, then threw her up in to the air. She was shot up. She reached the air two hundred feet up before curling her arms around her knees then springed out straight to land on her feet onto the ground in front of Axel. She sweeped into a bow and Marluxia clapped while saying "Perfect ten."

"We don't have natural armor like shells, spike, or stone skin, but we heal very quickly." Darx took out a small knife, walked over to Xigbar, then recklessly swiped it over his unpatched eye.

"GAHHH!! What was THAT for?!" Xigbar yelled.

Namine's eyes bulged in horror. Silvery-purple liquid began to trickle down his face. Xigbar wiped it off and his eye... the skin. It was pulling itself together. They started to crawl over the gash, began to meld together and then his eye was revolving again and he was okay.

Not super healing, just this creepy mending way of theirs lets them be injured.

"Oh, and we don't have red blood like humans. We have this poisonous purple goo that spurts. If humans try to drink our blood, then they die. If animals drink ours though, well, they can live a hundred years more if they were to die a natural death. It's our version of the life cycle." Rioxane explained.

"Of course, if you were already scarred a certain way, it stays with you." Demyx supplied.

"We pretty much do still look like humans, but we're so much more talented in fighting. It's like our first sense out of anything. Many were mercenaries before in the ancient times and became legends out of it. You know Perseus?"

"Yeah? The one of Greek mythology?"

"Well, he's not mythology. He really existed. Does exist, I mean. But with us, he's known as Percy. None of that Seus junk."

"That's pretty cool!" Namine gasped.

"He's part of the oldest community of vampires in Greece. Some are still around there, but we like to travel so they're spread out. Larxene came from Switzerland originally, but there's nothing neutral about her." Demyx joked.

"We can also create weapons with our life force." Cloud said as he jumped down next to Namine from out of nowhere.

"Cloud!" Namine cried out of delight. She eagerly threw her arms around her older brother's neck while he lifted and spun her around.

"Welcome back, dude. How was Dreesio?" Darx asked.

"Difficult." Cloud said as he placed down Namine. "You saying the country gets tough during the summer? That's an understatement!"

Darx laughed uneasily. "I warned you though."

Cloud nodded. "I know."

Namine looked at both in confusion. "Dreesio? You said you went to college!"

"That's my cover story. I actually left for Dreesio instead of going to California. Cali might be full of disasters, but they're pretty much nothing compared to Thrashlore." Cloud gave a palm-sized satchel to Darx. "Brought you back something."

Darx shook out the bag and into his palm was a marble carving of a dragon. "Thanks man!"

"Where's Dreesio?" Namine asked her brother.

"It's an undiscoverable place for most humans. Humans _do_ live there, but they're on the know of all the immortal lives. They're tough guys and girls, they can co-exist with us without wanting to chop off our heads for trophies. Some are descendants of wizards, so they place wards around the country so no planes can land or remember seeing the place when they pass over it. Darx came from there when he was human, the area of Thrashlore, on the Servagon parts. It's the most aggresive area out of all of Dreesio, so Darx is a tough cookie."

"But vampires aren't the only ones in there. Centaurs, minotaurs, harpies, gigantic snakes and lions roam around too. Dragons as well, and the annoying harpies." Marluxia continued.

"Don't forget the lupines." Larxene said.

"Of course." Saix sulked.

"What were you doing there?!" Namine demanded.

"I had to help out. There were all these monsoons coming and the humans and centaurs needed some assistance. And here I am, suppose to be away. So I went." Cloud said bluntly. "Now, as I was saying before, we can make weapons out of our lifeforce. That's why we get tired after fighting, it's our own mental energy that we use."

Cloud closed his eyes and held out his palm. Barely-there light glittered in the air and then a massive sword materialized.

"There."

Namine stared wordlessly. Everyone around them began to call their weapons as well. Xigbar had guns, Larxene a series of kunai, Demyx was holding a sitar, Axel with wheel spokes, Darx with a spear, Rioxane with a sword, and Roxas with two weapons very similar to keys. The rest had just as intimidating objects.

"We all have our own elements, and can indicate our personality with it."

"Larxene is shocking bolts, Axel has a bad temper and flares, Demyx and Cloud are all mellow with their blue, and Lexaeus is down to earth." Marluxia punned.

Namine smiled. It made sense.

XxXxX

"Hayner! Why did you yell at Rikku?!" Olette demanded

"She was being so annoying. I didn't even want her to tag along to our date." Hayner replied sulkily.

"But she's our friend! What's so wrong with her coming? We have plenty of dates alone, her coming isn't too big of a deal." Olette chatised.

"Whatever." Hayner muttered as he stuffed his hands into his pocket.

"Geez." Olette sighed.

XxXxXxXx

"Hm. What else did we leave?" Rioxane wondered. "We covered the super healing, weapons, element, skill?"

"She'd see it sometime probably. I'm in no mood to fight." Xaldin said.

"Then we covered everything." Rioxane shrugged.

"Two more details though." Cloud said to himself. He turned to Namine. "You know our diet consist of blood. Hence the title vampire. But we drink animal, or if we are tolerant enough, eat human food. The other is super slow aging. I have the body of a nineteen-year-old, but in truth, your brother is a hundred and twenty-three years old. Everyone's body ages differently, we don't know why. It might have been because of our human metabolism. The other thing is that we might have our own blood liquid, but we don't have a heart."

Namine's face froze.

"We're not dead, to be technical, we still breath if we wish. Air goes through our lungs, to an empty space, then back out again. We don't know what our inside's look like, because we can't perform surgery. We heal too fast to look through, and some end up with the knives protruding from their stomachs when the skin closes and we have to cut it out again. We don't need to really understand our bodies because it's so strong and capable. But the expression of a broken heart came from the wizard's terms. Their hearts were literally connected to their emotions. Ours is similar, except we don't have those hearts. Do you understand?"

Namine pursed her lips and shook her head.

"It's okay. You don't have to yet. For you, alright."

Cloud smiled and hugged his sister. "I was shocked when they told me you were finding out. I thought it'd be some years before you had to. I think Mom and Dad would think this is fine though. But I wanted to make sure I was here at the least. We'll answer any questions you have, we promise that."

A smile formed from Namine's lips. "None for now. I'm glad to see you again, Cloud."

"Roxas and the others would have been here."

"I know."

Namine's eyes fell and stayed on one person. He laughed as he dueled Demyx then spun a keyblade in one hand.

_End of Chapter Nine, Explanations_

So how was that? :D

I'm just happy I got to finish this chapter, what with how busy I am in school and how trappped I am inside my mind.

More to come!

P. S. Rioxane is more of a character to me than some alter ego. I use the name because I like it so much. x3

-Rioxane12


	10. Antics

I'm keeping my promise with the updates, and AB will be in major reconstruction, same but more grown up. And a dear friend named Tally had pointed out that most vampire stories are within the same story line so I don't have to worry about any resemblances.

Here's the new chapter ten, Antics

The sun was on the verge of rising, but the air was still cool from the long night, untouched by the sun's warmth. Roxas stroked a girl's blonde hair softly as she slept, then exited Tifa's room and walked to the mansion's balcony facing the great clear field hidden from the forest.

Footsteps followed Roxas' own after a few seconds. "Hey buddy." Axel greeted. "You're up early."

"I kind of... kept tossing and turning." Roxas replied.

"Nervous?" Axel asked smiling.

"Very. She's remembering everything. I know she should be; with her being who and what she is, but I'd really rather she didn't and slowly drained her immortal blood out without knowing about any of us."

"You sure you're just not after the title?" Axel joked.

"How can you _say_ that?" Roxas asked indignantly.

"You know I don't mean it..." Axel replied with an eyebrow raised.

Roxas mumbled out an apology then stared forlornly at the far horizon. He sighed then put his head on his hands.

"I really don't want her to remember anything. I mean, I was the exact reason... of why she had to go away in the first place. The guilt might as well swallow me whole now instead of slowly eating me away." Roxas said through gritted teeth.

"Well, this had happened before, so you should know what to do." Axel tried to reassure.

"But that ended with death." Roxas replied flatly.

Silence.

"I'm sure you won't let that happen."

Then Roxas was alone.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"So what's Midgar like Tifa?" Namine asked as she bit into a piece of toast. Namine slept over since it was the weekend and her parents allowed it.

"Midgar? It's a big city; it used to run on this strange force called the Lifestream, but it was bad for the earth so it got new resources. Cloud lived there too for a while, that's where he advanced his training after learning from your dad. He got a job as a bodyguard for a while for a friend of mine. When the guy after her was turned into a human again that couldn't harm her, she went back to her shop; while Cloud came back to here."

"Who was your friend?"

"Oh, it was Aerith; she's a Cetra. She's a race of humans who are attuned to nature. We sometimes call her our super hippie, but she doesn't mind. She just retaliates with the name blood-lapping savages." Tifa said making a face. "She lives for a long time too, because the earth is part of their bodies. And of course, the soul lasts forever."

"Wow. Is there like a reference for all the races?"

Vexen answered as he washed the dishes."Yup. I classified them. You can find everything except for animals. _That_, you can find on the internet."

"Because he's the big, scary scientist." Lexaeus chuckled.

"Hey guys, you wanna build a big hotspring in the yard? We _are_ kind of having a big party here. Oh, and a giant pool too." Tifa added in as an afterthought.

"But that's abusing our powers." Demyx said with a fake solemn face. The teenage boys laughed.

"Hey, I'm up for it. Our normal pool's empty for the moment anyway." Darx said.

"Then let's go!" Larxene said and scooped Namine up and all the teenage members of the house raced out of the house. "Lexaeus! We'll need you!" Larxene called over her shoulders."

Saix barked a laugh and followed as well.

"How big do you want it?" Lexaeus asked.

"Make two-sixth of the area a hot spring, another two-sixth a pool, one sixth for a dining area, and the last sixth will be space for walking around or random arrangements of chairs." Zexion said.

"Alrighty." Lexaeus obeyed and summoned his tomahawk. He held it pointing straight to one third of the land and a huge wall of smooth stone rose out of the ground as the earth quaked. He pointed to the other side and this time the ground sank in a neat rectangular shape. He waved the tomahawk around like a conductor and rocks and marbles began to rise out then melded together to make a smooth surrounding layer on the pool. Stone chairs then rose out in no order around the field and in the middle was a long table of rock. A stone layer came to top the hot spring as well.

Marluxia stepped forward and conjured his scythe out. He was more active, he ran around while pointing his scythe at places. Trees grew to become shade for the dining area. Vine ladders coiled to be dipped on the pool. Soft aromatic leaves waved to the hot spring area to serve as cushions on the seats. Marluxia twirled the scythe and a wind rose as fragrant petals of varying flowers appeared and dusted the whole place. Demyx jumped to the pool and summoned his sitar. Water spouted from the handle's tip and began to fill the pool. He strummed a few chords and water taking form of dancers appeared then jumped to the fountains Lexaeus made and melted to become flowing water that traveled to the pool and hot spring. Axel and Darx stepped forward and took out their weapons.

Axel took to the pool and jumped in with his chakrams on fire. The splash became steam. He was like a hot stone dropped into a bowl of water and instantly heated it up. Darx stuck his spear into the hot spring and it started to steam as well. In less than twenty minutes, they built a water paradise.

"Okey-dokey. All done." Darx said as he raised his spear out of the water and summoned it away. "One warm pool and one steaming-hot spring."

Namine and Tifa squeeled in delight strangely in synchronized. Larxene lifted Namine and ran to her room. Everybody was slipping on swim gear, all eager and giggling to have fun. Soon watermelons, ice-cream, lemonades, and whip-cream was being passed around. Roxas and Namine were resting in one corner each sipping a drink.

"...And I thought you guys didn't know how to have fun. I was convinced this household was in permanent shifts of chasing wolves and vampires." Namine joked.

Roxas scratched the back of his head. "We're not total heroes or anything. The counsel does let up sometimes. See, there's Larxene and Axel cuddling on that chair. If we were always fighting for our lives... those two wouldn't have time for romance." Roxas chuckled.

"That's a good thing. I would hate it if you didn't have time for romance." Namine replied.

Roxas grinned. "Good thing..." he murmured. He tipped up Namine's face and kissed her softly. She simply wrapped her arms around his neck.

XxXxXxXx

Namine sighed happily. Where was she? Cloud 9? Boyfriend-bliss-land? One of her best fantasies? It felt like all was rolled into one for her. She tilted her head up and saw that Roxas was still asleep, the complete image of peace. After yesterday being completely devoted to swimming and aquatic activities, Namine, the only somewhat-human around, was exhausted. She and Roxas has spent the evening after just talking in a balcony with the spectacular view. A lagoon underneath, a city-less canvas of the stars above. Namine wanted it to last forever. In that expanse of time, nothing bothered them, nothing was strange.

They were two teenagers; a boy, a girl, together... doing the normal couple stuff. Views, thoughts, likes, dislikes, experiences, and assorted topics, they kept talking, talking, talking until one in the morning.

She gently removed Roxas' arm off her shoulders then made her way downstairs as quietly as possible. Demyx was already at the kitchen, drinking a cup of orange juice.

"G'morning," Demyx greeted. Of course he was a morning person.

"Good morning Dem-Dem." Namine yawned.

"What's the big plan for the newest couple?" Demyx teased.

"Mm. I don't know. He's still sleeping." Namine replied as she assembled a bowl of cereal. "I'm gonna go explore the grounds though. I'll see you later."

Demyx waved bye and as he popped a chocolate waffle to his mouth.

Namine slowly ate her cereal, the milk icy on her tongue as she walked around the garden once more. The Venus-flytraps were sleeping this time, all bundled up together against the cold. She made her way out of the maze this time unscathed taking only a few wrong turns; in the end was a grand ballroom. Fairy lights were strung around with a million pearly roses winding around the poles of the giant gazebo. The floor itself was a mosaic almost like her drawing. A phoenix dancing with a dragon. Perhaps she remembered this place unconsciously. She bended down to her knees and placed a finger to the tiles. Glass… She looked up at the ceiling. It must be a counter image. A snake winding around a turtle was drinking water on a creek with a white tiger.

"You recognize this place at least, right?" Zexion asked. He was occupying one of the coffee tables with a laptop on the furniture and a book on his hand.

Namine nodded. "Good." Zexion smiled. "You used to waltz with your dad here while your mom taught Cloud. With every other song, your family switched partners."

The blonde smiled, closed her eyes and started to waltz with air. She twirled once, then stopped.

"Zexion?" She asked timidly.

"Hm?"

"Y-you're in charge of my memories, right?"

"In charge? Not exactly, that's the counsel. But I'm the one who accesses and handles it."

"But you can let me… remember again?"

Zexion looked away from his laptop and peered up at Namine. "Yes…"

"Please! Can you stop the whole amnesia deal?! I… I want to know my parents again! You don't have to let me get back everything, but I want my memories of _at least_ my parents back!"

Zexion's face shifted from surprise to thoughtful. "Namine…"

"This… this is unethical! What power should this counsel have over me? Isn't it _my_ right to have access to my own head?! This is completely unfair!" The girl started to look deranged.

The scholar panicked and scrambled to hold Namine in place. She was starting to tear up uncontrollably.

He sighed. "Does it matter that much? What about your current parents?" he asked.

"They're-they're… good to me, b-but they weren't the ones who brought me to the world. They're n-not my _real_ parents. Please… Nothing else. Just them." Namine begged.

"Sit."

Namine took a deep breath then sat down on a chair.

Zexion looked her over then shook his head. "No, this isn't enough. Come." He walked to the garden to a space of soft grass. "You need to lie down for this. It's very strenuous to the body."

Namine lied down as she was instructed. Zexion crouched down and placed two fingers on her forehead as he summoned a book. "Your memories are recorded here just like everything else. It might shock you sometimes, so be prepared."

The girl nodded, grateful. Zexion began to murmur and soon words started to rise up from the pages, small little copies, floating whimsically then winding, wrapping around his fingers before entering Namine's forehead.

Her back arched and her eyes shot open and she screamed. _Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash!_ Colors and shapes and emotions blazed through her. Millions of scenes all sped by. Her body began to tremble and shake, her hand curled to fists. "_Nnnnaaaaahhhhh!!!' _her voice echoed around the garden and ballroom. The words spun faster and surged in, all crowding to her forehead. Zexion gritted his teeth but remained chanting. _Sliss!_ His fingers started to bleed. His cuts began to sting, _her memories hurt!_

Soon… her body limped down, the scholar shut the book closed and waved it out of existence. Her breathing was jagged and her eyes shut. Zexion licked his fingers, peering at the unconscious girl. "I hope you will be okay Namine…". He carried her body to a couch inside the ballroom.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

_Namine was at the beach, running, fear racing through her entire being. The moon was tinged a waxy yellow, the sand was brittle pieces of ice, the rocks and shells were glass shards. She lets out a blood curdling cry of help and stumbles but remains running. Her ears could only detect her pounding heart, but it strains to hear her pursuers. __**Grunch!**__ Sand collapsed in as a feline woman neatly dropped in front of her. Her two clawed hands grabbed out to her shoulders and picked her off the ground. _

_The woman's eyes were streaming with tears but her lips were curled to a sneer. A man, also tearing uncontrollably laughed as he brings up a fist and was prepared to spring. _

_**Crack-rrrrack!**__ His head was thrown up into the air then...__**sliss! **__A blade sliced the woman in half. _

Namine screamed and Zexion reached for her pulse. It was racing…

_Namine's small body was then cradled to the arms of the killer. His gold-glinting hair was splattered with thick purple blood. "Nam? Don't cry anymore, you're ok. You're fine…" he cooed to her. She kicked away with all her might but to the boy, she was only a fussy child. "No! No! No!" The seven-year-old repeatedly cried out. He lets her down, and she runs to her father's body. "I hate you!" She yells. "Go away!" Then the small girl started to cry out hysterically, in agony, howling out her sadness and pain. _

_The boy tried to remove the girl off the macabre but she clutched on tight. It wasn't her parents fault! They were crying! Didn't he see that?! _

_Cloud comes and sings to the little girl her lullaby. She sobs but doesn't fight off her older brother. She sees the blood-doused boy again then starts to scream once more. Cloud's brows furrowed and Roxas wiped off the blood ashamed. _

_**XxXxXxXxXx**_

Namine curled up hugging her knees and continues screaming and crying. Zexion tried to calm her down but the girl wouldn't stop. He finally touched her forehead again and murmured for her mind to be tranquil. She stopped screeching, but her sobs kept coming. Tifa ran to the couch alarmed.

"What happened?!" She demanded.

"Take her home! She wanted all her memories of her parents back but one of them involved Roxas!" Zexion explained panicked.

"Are you _mental_? The counsel will skin you alive and that memory was the very reason she was wiped!"

"I know! I know! It got out of control and I'll have to wait for her to calm down to steal it back!"

"What do we do?!"

"Home! She needs to get home. She can't see Roxas now…"

Tifa nodded then carried the girl towards the cars. "Go tell. Now. The counsel needs to know."

Zexion nodded then ran. When both girls were in the car, Zexion reminded the martial artist to sing to her a lullaby. The blonde's eyes were lifeless but silent. Tifa worriedly checked again and again to the back seat but Namine seemed to have been cracked broken.

XxXx

She gripped her bathrobe as she lay alone in her room. Her parents were gone, Tifa left, and she didn't want to move. She was exhausted and her throat was shredded. But she was angry. Absolutely angry.


End file.
